Cafe Rouge
by Renthesiren
Summary: [NSFW] [LEMON] Rookie city cop Levy McGarden moves to the roaring city of Magnolia to pursue her dream of being a police officer. Determined to rise in the ranks despite her inexperience and questionable size, Levy takes her stand as she picks up a case taking on one of Magnolia's most wanted criminals, and he's someone she has wholeheartedly fallen in love with! Cover by Rboz**
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hello my lovelies! I've always wanted to try a crime story out, and I think Gajevy would be the perfect pair to try this with! Before getting started I would like to of course disclaim that **I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters, they are the work of Hiro Mashima.** Secondly, I would like to shamefully admit that I don't know much of anything about the police, so if anything is inaccurate please excuse me, I'm doing the best I can to do my research. And last but not least, this story is gonna be pretty citrusy, so if you don't like mild bdsm (just bondage and stuff nothing wild y'all this isn't 50 shades lmao) ((also the bondage is kinda inspired by Mashima's recent comic so whoops)) this may not be the story for you!

With that all being said, thank you for giving this story a read and welcome to **Cafe Rouge**! 

**Chapter 1:**

In the settling depths of evening came the strong hum of music that poured through the cracks and crevices of the apartment building squeezed between the third avenue and a row of classic town houses, stacked high with multiple stories and thoroughly detailed with intricate iron. From the side door of the apartment a bob of blue hair could be seen, standing out like a soft, flickering flame against the rough brick and dimly lit setting. With her heated skin in sharp contrast to the biting, rigid brick pressed against her back shoulder blades, the cold almost aided Levy in zoning back to reality. She cork screwed her eyes shut and shot them open as she tried to focus her vision, and when the world stopped spinning slightly she stepped forward into the bristling night. A few too many drinks had left her under the influence and too disoriented for her own comfort, for the intoxication she was experiencing was more than what she'd even endure in the comforts of her own home with a glass or two of blush wine.

She watched in amusement as her shadow danced along the worn down cobblestones every few seconds, only to vanish and blend into the darkness whenever she escaped the illumination of the overhead street lights. She felt as if her shadow was carrying her, and she was floating on air, light as a feather yet with every step she took she felt gravity grow heavier and heavier, like an amplifying weight on her shoulders. She sighed as she rubbed her temple with her free hand, whilst the other swished around a rather deadly concoction of vodka and God knows what else. She hadn't been this wasted since her foolish days in high school, back when getting completely hammered was out of peer pressure or something stupid like that. She stared down at her cup with distaste, embarrassed and regretful of her drinking. If the alcohol were from Cana, she'd immediately pour it down the drain whenever the busty brunette had turned around, however, this drink had been whipped up by Lucy, who wasn't a big drinker neither, and with that being said the alcohol had been tweaked and mixed into something significantly sweeter, which hadn't helped Levy like she had hoped it would. Sugary drinks were never delightful in the morning, and she urged herself to stay up long enough to down a gallon of water to hopefully dilute the toxicity in her system.

Now ready to let out all the alcohol she had voluntarily just poured down from both peer pressure and hopes that she'd wash away the pain of a broken heart, Levy went against what she had been told by Cana and Lucy and kicked her heels off as she made her way home. The wet asphalt beneath her soaked through her stockings and chilled her feet, and from that point she didn't know if she were more focused on how she was losing feeling in her toes or the pounding migraine that had been growing worse and worse as the hours ticked by. Frustrated by the aching pain of it all, Levy tossed the red solo cup towards the dumpsters to the left of her, only to effortlessly miss it completely. She shook her head and waved the idea of picking it up like a good citizen, racking her memory of the laws of littering and the consequences and she honestly couldn't find herself to care. She gripped the straps of her heels tightly as well as the strap of her bag with just as much strength as she sped walk out of the shadows of the alley and into the Orange like streetlights, which were made of cast iron to give this part of Magnolia a more classic appeal.

Levy begged her body to cooperate as she could see the main road right up ahead. From there it would only be a fifteen minute walk to her apartment, and she tried to not contemplate how on Earth she was going to climb up those troublesome flights of stairs in this condition. She reminded herself of the wonderful bed awaiting her at home; silk, satin sheets and a mattress gifted to her when she finished school, one of those nice ones from the commercials where the memory foam curves into your body. She almost drooled and passed out right then and there at the thought of it. In fact, she was so fixated on her destination and the awaiting, well deserved relief to her aching head and sore feet that she almost completely disregarded the large gentleman she had just passed by. Levy was a girl constantly lost in her own world and consuming thoughts that she would have successful disregarded him if he hadn't called out to her for what seemed to be two or three times given the scratch of irritation he had in his voice. He had called out to her twice but she didn't hear him, or perhaps she did and she assumed the cat call was for someone with a more appealing body, like Lucy or maybe Ezra, but despite all she had attained from her past experiences with cat callers who embarrassingly were calling to the woman beside or behind her, this particular moment in the alley way weren't the case. Now, in the biting cold of the settled night Levy found herself coming to a halt and turning to the stranger who had snatched her out of her personal thoughts and placed her in the cold and unforgiving Magnolia night.

Levy's eyes widened with subtle surprise as she met eyes with a olive toned man with a chilling aura that matched his raven hair: uninviting and something about the dimly lit alley and the way his red eyes glared with a simmered glow in the dark, Levy couldn't help but pick up something sinister about him. Perhaps she were just being drunk and paranoid, and she honestly hated to judge a book by its cover, but something about the gentleman's mysterious nature sent chills up her spine, all the whilst igniting her curiosity on fire. The man took a drag from his cigarette and released the smoke towards her, puffing out at her to the point she could smell the tobacco; it was only then that she had realized she was dangerously close to the man, who at this distance she noticed wasn't much of a stranger at all. She remembered his name was Gajeel, but she couldn't for the life of her remember who introduced him to her, and she couldn't recall when exactly she had been introduce, neither. She was sure that Juvia had some history with that she didn't go into much detail with, not that Levy particularly wanted to pry either, but word around the block told Levy that the two of them were somewhat close at one time. College or something. For as long as Levy could remember he was a background face at a few parties, his voice blended in with the white noise that she always expertly tuned out, and from the encounters she had where her eyes randomly landed on him across the room he never looked happy. In fact the man that everyone who knew physically yet nothing further than that had appeared at many parties that Levy had been invited to. Surely if he were the background noise in all of those get together he must have been a mutual friend some way or another.

"Ya listenin', Shorty?" The man asked her as he leaned against a rather expensive car, one that Levy couldn't make out the year or model since she hardly knew anything about cars anyway, but she knew enough that she conclude it cost easily around 300,000J . It was impressive in both color and make, and it had a sleek sort of shape to it, a shape that kind of reminded her of the cars in all of those stupid racing and action movies that she never fully finished watching. It was a dark, metallic gray that blended in with its immediate surroundings, and it seemed that everything about the man had the same reoccurring iron like color scheme. Completely dazed out and lost in her thoughts, the man puffed some smoke out into a cloud above him and smirked at her. "Shorty," the man tried again.

"U-um," Levy started and felt nervous laughter rise out of her like soda bubbles. "S-sorry, I guess I wasn't listening." She felt her face heat up and in the embarrassment the heels she carried and the bag slung across her chest grew heavier as she stood still in place. She wasn't good at conversations like this even if she were sober, and unlike her many female friends, alcohol didn't give Levy a huge boost of confidence like they promised it would, in the end all it was good for was making her a giggly, hot mess.

"Had a few too many, huh?" The man pointed with his nose at the red solo cup still rolling around the dumpsters. Levy hiccupped as she felt under the spot light, and with nothing better to do she shook her head sullenly.

"Afraid so," she coughed into the back of her hands and focused her red glazed stare at him. "I'm sorry, but... I don't think I've ever gotten your name," she started off, knowing full well his name but feeling too informal towards the stranger than to just call him by it. They've never actually introduced themselves, she doesn't believe, and when she did catch his name it was so quick and even quicker to be forgotten that it's as if she never learned it all, but out of everything she had remembered it.

The man— Gajeel —evaded the topic. "Yer really gonna ditch a party that was specifically made for ya?" He exhaled another puff when Levy's tired gaze turned into a more guilty expression. She kept her eyes low on the cobblestone as she realized what he said was the truth and that it sounded god awful, and she knew it was horrible to leave something the girls had planned for her. Gajeel brought her back to the conversation, "It was the blonde's doin', wasn't it?"

Levy felt her cheeks tint red when she realized after a brief moment that he didn't introduce himself that in fact her statement earlier about his name had been completely stepped over. She didn't take it too personally and held her chin up, masking her emotions and mimicking the mysterious man only a few tiptoed steps away from her. "Cana's doing, actually. Parties aren't my scene."

"Yer birthday or something?"

"No, no. That's not for a while." Levy smiled softly at him.

"Huh," he responded, which would have terminated the conversation if Levy had better things to do, which she did, but her legs didn't move. It was like she was caught in his orbit, his gravity reeling her in like a fish caught on the line with a snowball's chance in Hell at escape. She couldn't tell what it was, it had to be the vibe she received from him, and she couldn't tell if she were uncomfortable or pleased with the conversation brewing outside of the muffled apartment.

"I'm getting over someone," she admitted, and she weren't sure if she was just intoxicated or if she's come to the point where she truly felt nothing about it at all. This might have been the confidence boost the girls had mentioned earlier; it's not like he even asked her anyway, she just spat it out. Gajeel nodded shortly with nothing else said, and she twisted cerulean hair between her thumb and two fingers as she contemplated what to say. Her muscles ached, her mind was numb and she wanted desperately to go home, and the man in front of her had descended from the shadows at just the right moment. Seeing in the softly lit lighting he wasn't too bad on the eyes, and she was sure he was far more handsome if she could see him correctly. "I... could use a ride home, if you don't mind?"

Her bold suggestion made Gajeel's lips quirk into an impressed smile. "Askin' a ride from someone whose name you don't even know, huh? Aint that dangerous?" Though, not once did he reject the idea.

"Please, I think I can handle myself," Levy replied sharply, before making her way across the hood of the car. To make her point more clear, she stopped shortly to give him a head to toe inspection and brushed him off with a quick smirk of her own to prove he wasn't a threat to her. Gajeel snickered at that, her attitude that he found more amusing than cocky, and looked over at her before extinguishing his cigarette with the quick twist and turn of his boot. He had given her a one over glance as well, but he hesitated at all the right parts of her, feeling his smirk turn into a twisted grin. When the orange light of his cigarette died out, he joined her in the car.

•••

They had only been in the house for five minutes and already she was in a fumbling panic. Fortunately there wasn't much mess lying around given Levy was never home enough to create any, and it's not that her apartment was too shabby neither; large windows and a balcony lined one wall of the quaint living room, and from there one could see the beautiful view and of the Magnolia skyline. Not the whole thing, but a few sparkling buildings that resembled starlight in the shadowed sky, and it gave the apartment the city-like feel she had craved, so no it wasn't the appearance of her home that made her frantic. She'd recently moved in after she'd graduated from the academy, and now that she'd given it some thought, only a few of her close friends and Jet and Droy have been over; of course, these were all people she were comfortable with and usually in her pairs, and never had she been alone with a complete stranger. She had good social skills, she was an open and perky girl, but all of that grew distant and foreign to her when the person she was socializing with was a blessedly attractive man who looked out of place in her dining room. Now with full lighting on she could conclude that he wasn't too bad on the eyes at all; in fact he was a blessing to the eyes if anything. It's as if God or the universe or whoever had taken extra care into carving out his features, guaranteeing only the best to be created; he had beautiful ruby eyes that glistened whenever they caught the fluorescent light glowing from her tightly packed kitchen, and a chiseled jawline with hollowed cheeks that gifted him a lean, handsome face. To top it all off he has soft, full lips of a neutral dusty pink, and she wondered what it would be like to taste them, only to fuel her panic even more when she realized at this rate she may very well get her answer.

He scanned his surroundings without a comment and situated himself at her dining table. His large stance and height made the furniture in her house appear smaller, and what she believed to be a spacious floor plan now looked stuffy and cluttered in her eyes. To stop her restless nerves, Levy avoided conversation for a moment and tried to think of something worth saying, and she found the perfect opportunity to do so by offering a drink. "It's pretty cold out right now, would you like a coffee?"

He nodded at her.

"Um, how do you like it?" She asked nervously.

"Just the coffee," he replied.

Levy decided to fix him up a cup before she tore out of her soaked stockings and into something more comfortable, and as she prepared his drink she was surprised that the silent man was so willing to speak to her. After they had locked eyes so many times in the past, she never expected them to actually hold a conversation. "Who are ya tryna forget?" His voice rumbled from behind her as she tripped over herself and clumsily dropped instant coffee everywhere. "Yer boyfriend?"

She paused shortly to shake her head at his question. "I don't think I'd even consider him my boyfriend... but something similar to that." She handed him the untouched mug and he thanked her abruptly. She sighed as she pressed her coffee mug to her lips and blew the steam away from the beverage, and the man in front of her was silent as he waited for her to finish. She didn't plan on saying more than that, but his intense stare burned into her, almost silently demanding her to explain further. "More like a friend with benefits, only the benefits weren't all that beneficial," she admitted.

"So you and speedy didn't work out. Saw it coming," the man drank his coffee without even blowing on it, something that made Levy question if he were human. He also didn't accept the different creamers she set aside for him, or even the small glass container of sugar. Apart from his strict taste in coffee, she almost choked on her own given that Jet wasn't a stranger to the man.

"Are you talking about Jet?" Levy asked almost embarrassed at the idea and slightly insulted. "Please don't call him that, first off." She took a long sip from her drink. "And secondly, Jet is my friend. Nothing more than that, I couldn't even imagine getting with one of the guys, it would just be too weird!" She giggled to herself at the crazy idea of her even batting an eye at her childhood friends; they weren't just friendzoned, they were like brothers to her.

"The both of them follow ya around like dogs, just a guess," Gajeel justified his assumption, and with that Levy didn't exactly blame him for thinking she was getting over one of the boys. She shook her head no and stared down into her mug, focusing into the light, creamy color of her drink in hopes of finding something to say.

"No, no, my ex is this guy named Laxus, you probably don't know him. He's not much of the partying type; we didn't go out that often." She glanced over at Gajeel with raised brows, wondering if maybe he did know Laxus some way or another; Magnolia was a big city, but this was a popular spot in town given the amount of night clubs and tourist attractions it had. There was at least some kind of chance that he knew who she was talking about.

"Probably, probably not," he said after a long gulp, craning his neck to finish the last drop of the drink. "Know faces, not names."

"It's not like it matters anyway, I can't believe I even told you," Levy snorted with a laugh, "Oh wow, this is so embarrassing," she laughed to herself, and the worst part was that it wasn't very funny at all, but she couldn't stop laughing, which was expected from her drunken self; unfortunately, it was great at parties but horrible in moments like these. The man didn't laugh along, and she felt humiliated when his studded brows furrowed at her.

"Shorty, I know yer drunk and all, but..." the man sighed at the state of the woman in front of him, pushed against the counters and bending over slightly from laughing so hard. In a way the drunken woman was humorous. "So ya invite me over to help ya forget yer ex, is that what ya were thinkin'?"

Her laughter cut off completely when she processed what he had said. Levy smiled shyly towards him, and she was glad that he didn't look offended, but rather neutral at the idea. "I'm sorry, it's very rude when you put it that way," she rolled the mug between her hands to warm her frigid fingers that itched to tap on something due to how nervous she was feeling. "I was hoping you'd help me more than the alcohol would. Help me get over what I'm feeling— I don't really know what I'm feeling," she mumbled to herself, and she looked up to see the man's serious stare had averted to a softened look that could have meant anything. "You could leave if you want," she added sadly, and she turned to place her half-finished drink in the sink where she moped silently. What in Fiore was she thinking, anyway? Having a fling with a man she's just met in hopes of getting over Laxus? Is this really what she wanted? She considered all of her actions that had led her to this point right here, and she found no regret in them, but now as the alcohol was dying down in her system, she began questioning her plans.

"Now it makes sense why ya weren't too interested with my name, and didn't introduce yerself, neither." He started off, and she was taken aback when he got up from his chair and strolled towards her. She hadn't realized how tall he was until she was completely backed up into the kitchen counter; and she was so wildly turned on by his build that she carelessly swished her mug around and caused the hot contents to splash against her. She looked down to see the mess she created only for her chin to be lifted up by his index finger, which brought her face only inches away from his. "Using me to help ya forget someone, huh? Users ain't my type, Levy."

"Y-you know my name?" She asked shyly.

"Yer the rookie," he said with a mudslide grin, and that itself felt like a sharp slap to her face even though he had no intention of it sounding like an insult. "Not even a few weeks on the job, aint that right?" His eyes narrowed as he stared into her, and never had Levy felt so much like an open book. "Yer workin' with Juvia for the time being," He gazed into her eyes as he kept his finger propped under her chin. "For experience," he added.

Levy sighed with relief once it all clicked in her mind how he could have known about her. The party did in fact have a lot of people from the station, the young ones who didn't mind staying up past midnight, at least. She didn't recognized Gajeel as an officer from the department— he would have known Laxus if he was - and she wondered about his origins, but clearly if he knew Juvia and was invited he had to have been a mutual friend. Juvia was careful with those she kept close to her, and Levy felt more comfortable as she familiarized the face with that of her partner. When he took his hand away from her she almost felt an electric zap from him breaking apart from her orbit, and she found herself longing for his touch once more. "Y-yes," she started softly. "Lucy and I, we just got on the job a couple weeks ago."

"Police officer doesn't seem like yer style," he continued. Levy didn't take the stabbing comment to heart given how used she was to receiving it. At an impressive five feet exact and only weighing perhaps one-hundred-twenty pounds, it was no surprise that she was looked down on even when wearing her uniform. Despite her size, it hadn't stopped her so far and at this rate it never would.

"It's been my dream," Levy started off sheepishly. "To be honest, I'm just as surprised as you are, yet here I am!"

Gajeel chuckled at that. "Here ya are," he agreed. His eyes narrowed when he got close enough to lean over her, and she was immediately swallowed by his shadow. "So yer gonna keep pretending ya don't know my name?" He pushed closer to her and all she could do was set her coffee aside and prop herself against the counter.

"Well, I guess it won't be weird to address you by your name since you already know mine... I mean, we never properly introduced ourselves, so I felt weird just... oh, I don't know..." she stopped short when he pulled away from her. "Gajeel, isn't it?"

He smiled when she called his name. He looked so out of place in her small kitchen, and she wondered if the makeshift apartment was suffocating for a man twice her size, when even to her it could feel a little stuffy. "How was that idiot not beneficial?" He asked.

"His name is Laxus," she pouted disapprovingly at him, but a smile curved her lips and she swallowed another drunken fit of laughter waiting to explode out of her. "I don't even know where to start with that conversation. We were friends who completely stepped out of line, and..." she grew shy just thinking about it, and just mentioning Laxus made her eyes water as she reflected back on how carelessly the whole relationship had slipped out her hands, like sand pouring through the cracks of her fingers. "It was mostly a sex thing, nothing more. I don't believe he ever truly loved me, so that's why I don't call him a boyfriend." It had to be the alcohol that made her admit something like this so willingly, but even that was eventually fading and she felt herself begin to regain her mind. When Gajeel smirked towards her something tugged in her chest that only made her mad. Before she could stop herself, she was venting out in the small kitchen. "It wasn't beneficial because I don't find the point in any of that, anyway. Sex, I mean. It's so stupid, and even then it's like he never even wanted it. He never had time for me. I couldn't take it anymore! I'm glad we're over, whatever we were, I..." her eyes watered and she turned away from him. _Crap,_ she thought to herself as she tried to blink the tears away. She didn't plan on spilling this entire thing out especially to someone like Gajeel who she'd never even had a conversation with. Besides, talking about her disinterest in sex didn't exactly set the mood for her one night stand.

"Ya never came before, have ya Shorty?" He asked nonchalantly from behind her, and she turned around sharply to find him examining the mug she had given him earlier. He read the quote on it, something about books of course, and his nose wrinkled at how cheesy it was. Levy was surprised that he could even ask something so vulgar with the same tone you'd have when discussing the weather and her face heated up and she couldn't help but feel offended. What made it worse was how there wasn't even a speck of surprise in his voice, like her entire boring sex life was stamped on her forehead word for word.

"Wh-what makes you think that?" Levy's eyes narrowed as she asked defensively, ashamed at the fact that she was twenty and her sex life was so pathetic. When glanced over at her she gulped at how intense his stare was.

"Just a feelin'," he chuckled a distinct laugh that she's never heard before. "And from the sounds of it, the benefits were one sided. Musta not known what he was doin', stupid bastard."

"I've come before," she spat out as if this were something worth arguing about. She wanted to scold him again for talking down on Laxus, but she was far too triggered by his commentary that she let it slide. "I'm an adult you know; I know what I'm doing."

"Sure ya do," he replied. He snickered when she bristled up, "if ya hadn't told me ya little back story with what's-his-face I woulda just assumed ya were a virgin."

 _This man!_ Levy's face heated up at the sound of that. "I'm not a—!" Her face flushed and she quickly placed her hands against his chest and pushed him a few steps away from her. "You're so stupid, Gajeel! Get out of my way!" She stormed off passed him and marched towards her room. When she slammed the door behind her she gripped at her wavy hair and seethed. How could she have picked the most insensitive man to be the one she used to aid her in getting over Laxus? There wasn't much to forget, only the horrible argument they had that wounded so badly that it even ruined their friendship. There was no going back to how things were, not after everything that happened. To make it worse, getting into a relationship with Laxus had destroyed her trio with Jet and Droy, who had been driven so mad with jealousy that they gave up on her altogether. Now she was alone and breaking, and reminiscing on the events that had only happened in the past three months made Levy's chest tighten with pain. Maybe Cana was right, maybe she didn't drink enough after all. She just wanted this one night stand to be over it, and it would take too much effort to try to pick up a conversation with another man and do this whole thing over again. The tasteless, rude man she left behind in the kitchen would just have to do.

She tore out of her damp stockings and replaced her revealing top with someone more comfortable. She hesitated in only her skirt as she went rampantly through her closet and drawers. She felt her face heat up when she realized she didn't exactly have the lingerie like the other girls did, and in that moment she panicked when she couldn't figure out something sexy enough. Not that it mattered, did it? She was going to be naked anyway. Her heart pounded when reality hit her; she had only ever experienced anything with Laxus, and even then that left her beyond inexperienced. An impatient knock rattled her bedroom door and she darted around in vain only to answer the door in her tight, pencil skirt and black laced bra. Not the best, but it was better than her pajama shirts that were her second option. Levy's heart beat sped up when Gajeel's eyes scanned her body, and without knowing what to say in the moment she pouted. "Ready to insult me some more?"

"I was just sayin' ya look a little innocent, yer the one who blew it outta proportion," he explained himself before allowing himself into her bedroom. Levy flared at him as he closed the door behind him and gave a quick scan of the bedroom. Between four green walls was a queen sized bed with iron detailing wrapping around four posts and forming into a canopy. To the left of them were the white paned double doors leading out to the balcony that overlooked the partial skyline of Magnolia and the long strip of townhomes and condos. Behind him was the master bathroom, with the large mirrors and the upscale porcelain tub that Levy always planned to use for a romantic night in, though so far its main use was for bath bombs and movies with her lonesome.

"Well?" Levy asked when the silence became unbearable. "Are you just going to look around?" She felt her heart flutter when all of the strong man's attention was turned to her, and they locked eyes for the longest as he shrugged off his jacket.

"Yer quite bold for someone so quiet," Gajeel grinned at the short girl. "I'm not sure if yer ready for this, though. Are ya sure this is what ya want?"

"I want this," Levy assured him. "And I told you before I—"

Levy cried out in shock when her body was slammed against her bedroom wall. The photo frames and pictures were no match for the brute force and fell to their demise against the crème carpet. Levy gasped as her wrists were held down against the olive walls, and she wrapped her legs tightly around Gajeel's hips to keep her from falling. With her squeezing him closer to her, she felt his hard on press against the fabric of his dark washed pants, and feeling something so intimate so suddenly drove her mad. She gasped at the contact only to be silence when his lips found their way towards the soft skin between her neck and shoulder. He pushed forward, shoving himself against her and closing the gap between them. Completely turned on like a switch, Levy wanted to remove everything in between her and that undeniable pleasure, all clothing and tension, but all she could do was perch against him impatiently as he held her right where he wanted. Her breath hitched as she felt his warm tongue trail up her neck, starting from her collar bone and ending into a swirled kiss right under jaw. She groaned at the devil work he did against her skin, and she squeezed her hands into fists so tightly she could feel her finger nails cut into her palms.

"G-Gajeel!" She cried out as the man continued to lick up her neck; when she turned to see what his next move was, his lips captured hers and passionately pressed against her with a pressure than was both harsh yet enjoyable. Kissing him was so different compared to the man she was with before; his lips were plumper, easier and more enjoyable to suck gently on, and oddly every so often she could feel the studs beneath his chin brush against her own. He slowly incorporated his tongue, before returning to a pace that he set, and in the heat of the moment their tongues tangoed as they kissed, and his hands released from her sore wrists to further explore the rest of her body. He expertly unsnapped the restraints of her bra and the lacy undergarment fell to pool beside his feet, allowing her perky breasts to spring free from their captivity. Levy cried out when he dropped her onto the bed, catching her fall with his arms, and that same whimper churned into an elongated moan when his lips clasped over one of her sensitive, erect buds.

"Oh my God," she whimpered, just as his hand reached up her torso to give attention to her other neglected nipple. He twisted roughly, far harsher than Laxus had ever touched her before, but something about the pain processed in her mind as pleasure, and as badly as she wanted to shriek for him to stop, she couldn't help but encourage him to continue the torment further. It was in such sharp contradicting sensation, the rough tugging compared to the soft, teasing licks on her other breast. Never had she ever felt so confused, for something so painful could feel so damn good, and when he squeezed her sensitive bud between the rough pad of his thumb and index finger, she cried out with a _"oh yes, please!"_

Gajeel chuckled at her vocal reaction, and when she stared up at him panting, he placed his face only a breath away from her. "By the time I'm done with ya, yer gonna have a different perspective on fuckin'," he promised her, and the devilish glint in his eyes both threatened her and sparked her curiosity.

"Is that so?" She asked with the best flirtatious grin she could muster. "Well, Mr. Redfox, perhaps you should enlighten me!" She giggled cheekily, excitement rushing through her, but the smile was wiped off of her when he continued onward. She gasped when his hands came to her hips and tore her skirt off from her milky thighs. Now left in only her revealing lingerie Levy felt more exposed than she had in ages. She clasped her thighs closed impulsively and sat up with a worried look. Gajeel had just finished taking off his buttoned down shirt, and when he saw the small girl so closed up and shy he furrowed his brows. "Don't tell me yer closin' up already," he grinned mischievously when she pouted back at him. "C'mon now, there's nothing to be shy about."

"I know I just... haven't been with someone for quite some time. It's... it's embarrassing!" Levy cried out as she looked away from him. If the way he toyed with her body wasn't enough to make her heart pound against her chest, just the sight of Gajeel without his shirt on was enough to make her faint. His body was ripped with muscle and all of his hard work that he put into his workouts was displayed like fine art on a fresh canvas. In other words he was absolutely beautiful, and she felt the heat pool between her thighs at such an attractive man giving her so much attention. She gasped when she was caught off guard and his large hands pulled apart her thighs for her. Beneath the revealing underwear there wasn't too much to hide; through the mesh and lace he could see her glistening core already dripping for him, and through the lace he dragged his finger, which immediately picked up on how wet she was for him. He stroked his finger back and forth between her lips, soaking her panties further and causing a cute shiver to rush through her body.

Her thighs shook at the mere touch, and he snickered at how easily she melted from just the simple flick against her most sensitive spot. She cried out more than she moaned, and he loved how loud she was when she was getting pleased. He slipped off the lace material until she was completely naked in front of him, and for the first time in a while Gajeel had felt flustered. Her body was perfect, from her large hips, thick thighs and a rounded ass that anyone would be fond of, he found himself almost drooling at the sight before him. It didn't help how undeniably wet she was either and the sight alone made his hard, impatient dick press against his pants demanding release. He gritted his teeth when she looked up at him worriedly. "Is something the matter?" She asked carefully.

"Just a shame you've never been touched properly," he answered when he lowered himself between her thighs. He wasn't a cheeky man who smiled constantly, Levy never associated herself with a more serious man, but in this moment he smiled softly, though it was still darkened with lust. He found it cute how wide eyed she was, and like he had mentioned earlier, she gave off such an innocent look that only turned him more on. "Hmph, sobered up pretty quickly, haven't ya, Shorty?"

Her brows furrowed cutely, "Sh-shut up, stupid Gaj—" but she was stopped shortly when his tongue made its way from the bottom of her core, all the way up until it swirled around her swollen clit. Levy cried out and impulsively squeezed her legs shut, so fast that her thighs knocked against his ears. Gajeel glanced up at her with a look cold as steel and she felt herself blush vividly.

"I'm so sorry, it's just so sensitive," she mumbled her apology, and a short smile formed on his lips.

"Bad girl, what're we gonna to do with ya?" Gajeel asked with a curious lilt to his voice; the tone of his words slightly tugged at Levy's sporadic thoughts as his almost whispered question laid out a land of endless possibilities. Her heart couldn't have pounded harder against her chest, and although she sobered up and this was by far the wildest thing she'd ever willingly done herself, despite being thrown in completely foreign waters— which she had basically dived right into —she didn't want this moment to stop. No matter how anxious she was about being with someone new, she couldn't describe how undeniably _right_ this all felt to her; everything from the red satin sheets beneath her to the crisp, cool air of the apartment to the handsome man between her legs. Even if she were to regret it in the morning, or if she'd forget it ever happened, all she could conclude with was that she whole heartedly wanted this. Her mind was snatched back to the cold hard ground and out of the clouds she were dreaming in when she heard the familiar few clicks and snap.

"Wh-what are you doing?!" She squeaked out when her wrists were handcuffed together. Levy's face heated up as Gajeel stepped back up to his full height to look down on the scene he had created. Levy jerked effortlessly at the restraints that were luckily bonded in front of her rather than behind her back like the many criminals she witnessed at work, however it didn't change the fact that Gajeel was still somewhat of a stranger. Apart from how uncomfortable she was doing this with someone she met, she couldn't shake off how erotic it was and how she kind of didn't mind it. "These aren't a toy, you know!"

"Oh, I know very well that they aren't a toy, Miss Levy." He twirled the second pair of cuffs that he discovered on her dresser, and slipped his index finger inside the ring as he twirled it around. The handcuffs circled around as he spun it in a circle tauntingly above her. "If I didn't know ya were a rookie cop, I woulda just thought ya were a perv."

"Y-you're the perv!" She spat out with a reddened face as Gajeel pulled the chain between her bound wrists and lifted it upward, causing her arms to rise against her will like thin strings controlling a puppet. With her arms above her head and the rest of her vulnerable to his desires, Levy felt herself grow even wetter than she already was, and being completely under his control was both frightening and so absolutely erotic.

"Never been tied up, have ya shorty?" He asked her with the tug of the slender chain. "Ain't out of yer comfort zone, is it?"

"N-not even!" She bit back challengingly. Despite how nervous she was to be doing this with someone she just met, as an officer she believed she had to be completely fearless, which Juvia had explained to her in careful detail was different than being careless. Even with the man she had just met, she didn't feel any danger with him. He wasn't someone she felt would hurt him, she could read people like open books even before the academy had trained her on doing so. Looking up into his crimson eyes she somehow felt comfortable; as if this weren't the first time they had done something like this. Seeing his challenging smirk only made Levy feel a bit more daring herself, and with a cheeky grin she chirped her reply. "This is nothing to me!"

"Is that so?" Gajeel asked with a quick tug of the chain. Satisfied with the consent he was given, he allowed the chain to slip off of his finger and drop back down, allowing Levy some relief as her bounded wrists returned to in front of her torso. "Good to hear; now we can get started."

Levy didn't have time to think of a reply when her body was flipped over onto the bed. The room spun around her and before she could process what was happening she felt his fingertips dig into her hips and pull her lower body towards him. Now with her tightly handcuffed wrists underneath her and her plump bottom thrust in the air, Levy gasped at the position he had placed her in. Feeling the heat race completely to her face like hot air rising to the ceiling, Levy squealed with something she couldn't distinguish between excitement and fear. Probably both. "Wh-what are you doing?!"

"First things first, Shorty," Gajeel started, and Levy's body reacted with a soft tremble as she felt his breath brush against her wet core. "I'm gonna make ya cum, somethin' that's been long overdue."

"I- I don't think I know how to cum," she admitted shamefully as she dug her face into the blanket beneath her.

"Ya don't, huh…" He asked with no tone to his voice. With such little emotion in his words she couldn't picture what he was thinking, and she wanted more than anything to turn around and look the man in his eyes, but with her face down and ass up she was stuck fixating on either the window sill or her headboard. She grew restless when he remained silent.

"I'm not trying to kill the mood," she explained herself. "I'm sorry, that's probably stupid to say right in the middle of what we're doing, it's so not sexy... I just, I just don't think I—" Levy's explanation was slammed to a halt as her breath hitched and cut off her words. The way he had tasted her moments before was now labeled as only a teasingly, playful lick. Levy curled her fingers tightly as his lips took in her clit and sucked heavenly against it. Never had she felt a sensation such as that, nor had she ever known that the pressure could be so overwhelmingly pleasurable. She gasped as he released her and swirled circles against the sensitive bundle of nerves, and just as she thought she'd melt completely off the bed and through the cracks of the floor boards his fingers spread her lips further and the speed in which he worked his tongue against her increased. Now with his tongue rapidly darting in a session of both flicks and swirls Levy couldn't keep up with the sensation, but when she began picking up on the pattern in which he was going she felt something forceful build up between her legs.

"Oh my God!" She cried out. "Oh my God, oh my God!" She whimpered as her legs began shaking uncontrollably from behind her. She felt his strong arms wrap around her thighs and hold her legs in place, and her eyes widened at the realization that she couldn't clamp her legs close no matter how overwhelming the sensation became. Testing her limits and pushing against his hold with all her might, Levy noted that she was completely under his control, only able to move with the slightest wiggle of her fingers and slight shimmy of her shoulders.

"I think this is much better, don't ya Shorty?" Gajeel asked from behind her as he slowly licked up and down her inner thighs. "Right where I want ya," his voice rumbled with lust, causing his words to come out with an animalistic growl. His teeth sunk into the supple flesh of her inner thigh and like crazy she rocked her body towards him, eagerly hoping he'd get the idea and continue what he had started. "Somethin' the matter? Yer legs are shakin'." She could just hear the smirk in his question. "Do you want to keep gettin' eaten?" He asked her slowly, and his voice rung with an _aww_ type of tone, like her restless need was something he found cute.

Levy shook her head frivolously. "What kind of stupid question is that? St-stupid!" She cried out.

"Hm, so that's a no?" He asked, and if his teasing couldn't have gotten any worse, he dipped his finger into her inviting core, only to take it out faster than she had hoped, and traced the now wet finger against her throbbing clit. Levy moaned painfully at the agonizingly slow pace that he circled around her, and she tried her best to push her hips towards him, hoping to God that she could somehow get herself to climb this mountain she was so foreign to.

"Please, I need it, please continue!" She practically cried, throwing her pride aside and hoping that this at least was enough for him to continue the wonders he had begun on her. Gajeel grinned at her desperation and rewarded her by inserting a finger deep in her, curling it so that the tip would stroke across her G spot. Her mouth dropped open and she relished in the intense feeling, but she was snapped out of it when again he retracted away from her and left her craving more.

"Sorry, don't think I heard ya," he chuckled as he pumped the digit in and out at a purposely slow pace. The frustration was unbearable as Levy gritted her teeth and blinked the tears away from her eyes. Feeling her tense up around him, Gajeel felt a bit sorry for the woman, but he was enjoying himself far too much to give the feisty girl what she wanted so easily. "Ya gonna have to beg for it, Shorty."

 _He can't be serious!_ She thought to herself angrily, but at the rate he was going she wouldn't be able to take the teasing any further. Her cheeks were on fire, and carefully she tested it out. "Oh please," she started off softly, embarrassed at how pathetic she sounded. When his finger began pumping at a faster rate, Levy couldn't control herself, and naturally the cries came spewing out of her. "Oh please, oh please! Please, Gajeel! Please, please— _please_ —!" She was practically screaming as he dramatically increased his speed and fingered her eagerly, and although it was a different route she could feel herself climbing the same mountain. Her panting mixed with her moans to create a beautiful symphony of her vocalized pleasure, and pleased to hear her cooperate so easily, Gajeel felt she deserved to be rewarded. "Good girl, I'll give ya want ya want since ya asked nicely."

"Gajeel..." Levy moaned out, only to cry once more when his tongue returned to her clit; sucking and darting across it all the while continue to finger her at the wonderful pace she had begged so wholeheartedly for. With so much attention on both sensitive areas Levy was overwhelmed and intoxicated with the pleasure, and before she could even cry out in delight she felt her eyes roll back to her head as something unexplainable happened between her legs. She felt the pressure grow astonishingly, and she found herself incapable of even speaking, and her moans fell short for a few moments as only small cries and yelps came out of her, causing her body to jerk around before that said pressure would burst, and before she could even wrap her mind around it her body was shaking and an unbelievable heat crashed through her. She screamed out then, amazed at the scorching heat that coursed through her veins; she rode that wave with a heavenly moan filling the apartment and an enthusiastic cry of his name. Gajeel grinned against her as he continued until he knew she was finished, and he watched happily as her body slumped downward against the bed. Levy felt as if all the energy had been sucked out of her, and she sighed as she felt a tired haze slip over her like a comforting blanket. With such a long night she almost wanted to close her eyes, but like an alarm going off in her, she jumped when he flicked his tongue over her painfully sensitive core.

"No, please!" She whimpered as her body reacted to him.

He chuckled, "hmph, that was one Hell of an orgasm," he watched as her sweet nectar trailed off of her reddened lips and rolled down her thighs. He twitched just watching it, and his tongue lapped up the mess she made and caused her breathing to differ once again. "Still think ya can't cum, Shorty?" He asked teasingly.

"Heh," she replied with a soft chuckle. She was too tired to protest, like she'd even want to at this point, when Gajeel flipped her onto her back. Levy marveled at the sight of him cleaning her off of his fingers, and she bit down on her lip when he slipped out of his clothing and released the large erection he had painfully kept to himself. "Wow..." she whispered as she analyzed his length, relieved that he wasn't ridiculously big, but far from average as well. A perfect size she thought to herself, and she opened her legs willingly for him. He raised his cock some to meet her entrance, and just feeling the head press against her caused her eyes to flutter. Gajeel ran his fingers through her unruly curls and grabbed a fistful of hair as he brought her upwards so she could see him position himself between her.

"Heard it feels better to get fucked after ya came," he muttered from some past knowledge she knew nothing about. It was news to her however, and given she had never came during her last few times she had intercourse, Levy couldn't imagine what was in store for her. "I love the way yer watchin' me, shorty." He rubbed his head and down her entrance, and she drooled slightly as his velvety tip ran up and down her already stimulated nub.

"It's because I want it," Levy mewed, learning quickly that he enjoyed the dirty talk. "I want it so badly, please..."

"Hmph, when ya ask like that," Gajeel smirked just as he slipped his length inside of her. Levy would have snapped her head back if Gajeel weren't pulling her hair and keeping her head forward, and along with the discomfort of the restraints and the dull pain against her scalp, Levy was surprised to see the pain only enhanced the pleasure. Gajeel remained where he was to help her adjust to his length, and he gritted his teeth when seeing her in so much ecstasy turned him on so badly.

"Holy..." Levy whispered as she felt her walls accommodate his girth. She trembled but she couldn't believe how amazing it felt, and with every soft movement she made she could feel him deep inside her. "Oh my god," she repeated.

"Feels good, huh?" He smiled at her enthusiasm and the way her eyes rolled back slightly from him filling her. "I'm gonna start moving, alright?" He asked her.

"O-okay," she whispered, and he released her curls and placed his hand on her wrists instead, pulling the handcuffs above her head so she was pinned to the bed. They smiled at one another momentarily, only for both of their faces to harden at the pressure between both of them. Gajeel attempted to start off slow, but after filling her and her encouraging cries of enjoyment, he couldn't help but pound in and out of her frivolously, relishing in the way she clamped down around him, and with every pump he went deeper and deeper into her, listening carefully for any cries of protest or pain, but instead his actions were fueled with her constant _"yes, yes, yes,"_ that begged him to go faster. His lower stomach was almost slamming against her as he pushed himself as deeply as he could inside of her, and Levy cried out in a mixture of pleasure and pain, but didn't dare ask him to stop.

Gajeel gritted his teeth and swore underneath his breath; never had he ever felt the need to release so quickly, and it was the vixen underneath him who had caused this. She felt so fucking good, and as badly as he wanted to prolong his pleasure he knew he'd be done for in the next ten minutes. It was embarrassing almost, but relief struck him as he heard her beautiful cry once more, announcing to only the both of them, but with a voice that the whole world could hear, that she was about to orgasm again. "Oh my God," Levy screamed, _"I'm gonna cum! I'm gonna— I'm—!"_ She moaned as she released for the second time that night, and Gajeel snickered when he still had some ways to go. He pumped harder as he watched her spasm around him, with her eyes screwing shut and her breasts bouncing up and down with the pace he was going in and out her, it was sight to see. She cried out when she returned from her high, only to find Gajeel lowering down so that both their chests pressed against one another.

"Oh God, I don't—!" Her eyes widened up at him when he didn't even look close to being finished. "I don't think I can again!" She cried out when she realized it wasn't over, and he admired the way her eyes fluttered as he relentlessly pounded in her. His fingers curled around her neck and his other hands held her down by the restraints. At first she had thought he was choking her, but instead his fingers applied pressure on the side of her neck, and oddly it had felt so enticing that she could help but moan. Slowing down between her legs, Gajeel imprisoned her lips once more, pushing his tongue past the barricade of her mouth and tasting her screams.

"Yer gonna cum again," he ordered her. "I ain't given ya a damn choice," his voice rumbled, and when the flustered girl didn't cry for him to stop or plead him otherwise he returned to the fast pace that made her spasm the first time, and she opened up for him wider as he gave her everything he had.

"Oh God, oh God!" She whimpered, and she squeezed her eyes tightly as she was propelled up that same damn hill at top speed. Gajeel grunted as he himself felt the pressure building in his lower stomach. His fingers dug into the sheets beneath them as his thrusts became faster and harsher, causing the bed frame to shake from the force of it all. Her moaning and cries of ecstasy only helped him reach his climax sooner, and he roared her name as he released inside of her, finally letting go of the urge he had for months and feeling his clenched muscles release. Levy had cried his name out as well, and he toppled on top of her, catching himself with his forearms before crushing her with his weight.

The two of them lied there as they caught their breath; once the both of their eyes met they found themselves laughing together, both incredibly pleased with the spontaneous one night stand. Gajeel's hand ran across the sleek surface of the nightstand until his fingers brushed against the key. He released Levy from her restraints. Levy rubbed her sore wrists and Gajeel's satisfied look was replaced with one of concern. "Sorry 'bout that, got a little carried away."

"No, I liked it," Levy smiled softly. She turned to him to see some of his bangs sticking to the slick heated skin of his forehead, and carefully she brushed it aside and back to the way he had it slicked back before their steamy moment. They were silent as she fixed his hair, and his eyes swirled with something as he watched her do so, and shivers ran up his spine as her fingers raked his scalp and combed out his hair. Levy blushed vividly when she caught herself lingering too long with his hair, and she retracted her hand back. "Wow, it's pretty late," Levy noted as the alarm clock beside her read three A.M. She had completely forgotten that she'd skip the party and that Cana and Lucy would be worried sick about her, but that was something she'd confront at a later time. She was glad to have the handcuffs removed from her, and when she sat perched at the foot of the bed she smiled warmly when Gajeel pushed the bangs out of her eyes and smoothed the hair against her head the same way she had before. It was comforting that a man with such a rough touch could soothe the pain with such a soft brush of her bangs. Enjoying the way he played with her hair, Levy batted her eyes up at him. "Would you... like to spend the night?" Levy asked carefully, in which to her surprise the large man who had already buckled his belt gave it consideration.

"Wouldn't hurt," he answered with a grin.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hot damn that was one introduction! ( ͡ ͜ʖ ͡) Thank you for everyone who's left me a wonderful review, you guys are so wonderful! And also, sorry it's only gonna get steamier from here, so if you don't like lemons you probably should keep away from the lemonade!

 **Important note:** Sorry for the inconvenience and confusion, but I've decided that Levy's ex in this story will be Laxus instead of Jet. It'll create lots of juicy drama that I'm just dying to make happen! I changed up the first chapter and added more detail in there, but there's no need going back to read it unless you choose to. Unfortunately I wrote this chapter before changing up the first, so Jet's in it. Don't worry he's pretty irrelevant to the novel and disappears after this. Thank you so much for continuing to read, please enjoy!

Again, **I do not own Fairy Tail** or its characters; they belong to Hiro Mashima. _

 **2 months later**

It had been months since the night in the cramped, third floor apartment down fifth avenue. Scenes from what felt like years ago had been replaying in the back of his mind for weeks on end, over and over in denied hopes that he wouldn't forget any crucial details, but overtime the memory slipped away from him like a faded dream. He couldn't remember much from the time spent, not with all the chaos going on in his life that give him too little time to think and just far too much to do, but out of all the events of that night what he hadn't forgotten was her smell, warm gourmand with a touch of floral, something distinct like roses. Gajeel parked his car along the curve right outside the gymnasium across town, so many streets and turns and tall buildings away from the locality that kept going on and on in his mind like a broken record. He turned his eyes past the large brick, post office and past the colorful leaves towards the direction of his day dreams, and he wondered what she were doing right about now. Probably with her nose stuck in a book, given there wasn't an inch of wall space where she didn't have shelves lined with novels, or maybe she was out fighting crime, she seemed pretty passionate about her career although she didn't speak much about it.

He could drop by her place if he really wanted to, but then what? He couldn't justify the uninvited, last minute arrival. It was a stupid idea, anyhow, and he had to kick himself with the reminder that she didn't want anything more than a one night sort of thing. Gajeel forced the thoughts away and bitterly he stretched out his sore muscles and slung his gym bag over his shoulder; he was going to empty his mind out and focus on his work out. Hopefully then he'd be able to forget her, the same way she had turned to alcohol and the man in the alleyway to forget someone as well. He couldn't spare the time to go drinking, not with everything on his plate demanding him to be on his guard. Today was like any day, and every day was dangerous and unexpected, and he couldn't keep losing himself to his restless thoughts that kept obsessively wandering back to that dimly lit room, those bright blue waves fanned out around her head, her pale, wrists pinned against the satin sheets. Her hooded eyes, staring up at him so eagerly, lustfully, and how beautiful she was, bounded and all for his taking. His eyes narrowed at the memory and he sighed before trotting down the stone stairs and landing in front of the gymnasium door, which was propped open to allow the breeze to flow in. He took a deep breath in, one far different than vanilla and rose petals, and felt relieved to find himself thinking of something else, anything else. The stuffy room smelled of iron and sweat dried into the floor mats and equipment, and as he placed his duffle bag down in one of the paint-chipped cubbies lining the walls, he could smell old rubber from worn in running shoes and the bitter, artificial chocolate of someone's spilled protein shake. He was turned towards the back wall when the large set of weights on either side of the bar were dropped to the ground in a crash, and the strong man behind him stopped working on his deadlifts to acknowledge Gajeel with a nod of his head.

Gajeel didn't even do as much of a nod back, nor a wave, he just kept his eyes on him long enough and gave him a scowl, which was a good enough greeting in their terms. "Looks like someone had a rough morning." The deep voice boomed from beside him, and Gajeel made a _feh_ noise in response to his partner, Lily. From Lily's perspective Gajeel wasn't looking too good. His already untamed hair was more wild than usual, like the man didn't have any idea what a hairbrush looked like; with all of its knots and tangles, the man's hair was secured in a metal-detailed band at the base of his neck. He also looked as if he hadn't slept in days, and if it weren't the dark circles he was sporting, it was the blood shot, red glazed glare he kept trying to blink into nonexistence that gave it all away. Gajeel tossed aside his towel and downed his pre-workout, a cruddy concoction of artificial blue raspberry that he didn't at all enjoy, but it was the only thing left in his kitchen cabinet and was going to have to do. It was sour and made his face scrunch up, and he turned his attention to his partner who was stacking plates where they were meant to go. It was normal for Lily to be here bright and early, in the small gym at six a.m. ready to both tidy the place up and crunch in a hardcore workout. It was good to stay in shape for their type of work, but this morning Gajeel was in no mood to work out, not even if it would help clear his mind of all the thoughts that kept him up the night prior.

"Big boss say anything to you?" Lily asked, and Gajeel knew he weren't referring to their beloved master. He kept silent momentarily, not sure of how he would respond to his partner who tried his best not to sound like a worried mother, but despite how hard Lily tried to sound serious and nonchalant, it was clear as day how concerned he was for Gajeel.

"Nothin' important," he chose to say. It wasn't that it wasn't Lily's business, himself and the master were the only ones who knew of Gajeel's schemes, but the whole story was so much of a mouthful that Gajeel truly didn't believe he had the energy needed to explain it in full detail. It was the same shit, different day, only which this time the same shit was tenfold, and he found himself restless after a long night of work. It was out of character for Gajeel to not spew his usual nonsense and insults, just chatty things to hype the two of them up into their usual competitive yet supportive routines. He was used to Gajeel crashing through the door, smug and early, with something smart and uncalled for to say. It's just how the two of them started their mornings, so when the young man practically dragged himself through the door with a stiffened yawn, it was clear that the problems eating at him were more than just the usual back-breaking responsibilities on the job.

"You're awfully quiet." Lily confronted him. "Still thinking of that girl?" Lily asked as he wrapped his knuckles in bandages, and his voice bounced in the large room, causing him to echo some, and his phrase _'that girl'_ annoyingly jabbed at the back of Gajeel's neck not only once, but twice. The thick silence of the empty gym caused Gajeel's ears to ring, and after chugging down the last drop of his god awful drink, he wiped his lips with the back of his hand.

"What girl?" He asked sloppily, the same way a drunk would slur his words, but it was simply from the lack of sleep, and even he knew it was foolish to be working out whilst so deprived like this. It was a pathetic cover up to a clear, definite truth, and this avoiding response made Lily give out a hearty laugh that Gajeel didn't share. "Sorry, did I say somethin' funny?" Gajeel bit out with a cold tone.

A glare that could have melted anyone only humored Lily, and Gajeel's denial gave him a good chuckle to himself. "Sorry, I guess the girl is old news now. It's a shame I didn't get to properly meet her, you were going on and on and on about her, and then when you finally ended up taking her home she was never heard of again. It's a sad story when you think about it." He smiled a mile a minute at that, showing he was fully aware of the naughty after party they had in her apartment home.

"What're ya talkin' about? No one was taken home." Gajeel asked defensively with a bitter snap, and the way he replied made it out to be that this was the most ridiculous thing he heard all morning, perhaps all year. Like someone as harsh and closed up as _the_ Gajeel Redfox would ever do any girl some out of the way favors, especially a stranger like she was. He squeezed the water bottle into a crumbled heap and launched it towards the waste bin in the corner.

Lily smirked at his denial, and how it was so blatantly obvious that he was lying through his teeth like a child being caught in his lie. Lily continued, "Before your _date_ hopped into your car she bumped into me at the party. Right before she left she asked me if I knew her friend Cana, and then asked politely if I could tell her that she was going home." Lily finished bandaging up his knuckles and elbow and admired his work, "though I believed it was far too dangerous for a girl like her to go home on her own, even a city cop such as herself, and after following her to offer some company I was pleased to see she had ran into you instead." Gajeel glared at the back wall and didn't meet Lily's stare. "It's good to know she was in great hands."

"Just talked a little and dropped her off," Gajeel assured with a huff. "Aint nothin' more to it."

"I'm sure of it," Lily chuckled, dropping the whole conversation the same way he had the bar from earlier, and it had the same effect it did then as well, making Gajeel feel as if something in him had fell out of place and crashed against the concrete underneath him. He's never seen Gajeel so caught up in the clouds; the only thing that kept that man imprisoned in his thoughts was the big boss and his past, which he only knew so much about. However, this is different than his usual quiet spells; Lily noted that whenever Gajeel was thinking of something like the big boss or whatever it was that troubled the quiet man, his studded brows always furrowed and his narrowed eyes could melt steel. Nowadays he still had these troubled moments, but more so these bothersome thoughts had been replaced with some of a different kind, they had morphed into mind consuming daydreaming that made his usual harsh look soften up and his piercing eyes to avert and start elsewhere, anywhere in the distance and away from what he was doing. Clearly something was eating at him, but whatever it was it didn't seem to worry him as much, and with all of Lily's years of experience, it was painfully obvious as to what Gajeel was thinking of. Something a little more romantic. "You ready?" Lily asked Gajeel, who was doing exactly what he described him to be doing, and only further proved his point that the man was slowly becoming infatuated with something he couldn't have. He snapped out from his thoughts and sent the man a challenging grin.

Gajeel cracked his knuckles and adjusted his favorite pair of fingerless gloves. "I'll remind you who yer working with, old man."

With a challenging smirk, Lily proceeded to set up the obstacle course they usually worked on, only this time they had made the route more complicated. What particularly killed Gajeel was his stiff shoulder, which had healed but still caused him slight discomfort during his rigorous workouts. He kept his face neutral knowing Lily would scold him if he knew he was hurt, and he pushed against the sore muscle as he contemplated his next move. He knew today Lily would be doing one of his go-to full body workouts, and as much as Gajeel enjoyed the challenge it just wasn't the day to do it. Noticing his struggle, Lily sighed underneath his breath. "Seems work is getting harder and harder for you."

"I told ya it ain't anything serious, old man," he grumbled in response. "Shit heals, everything does eventually."

"I meant the emotional aspect of it all," Lily clarified. "Listen... I've been running these ropes for a long, long time. Seen enough to make me run for the hills..." his dark eyes swirled with horrible memories that made his stare narrow into a hurt glare and the scar running down the side of his face to crinkle ever so slightly. "What I'm trying to say is that the kind of work you're in does something to your soul. If you're not careful, it could ruin you forever, trust me."

Secretly curious about the back story responsible for his friend's drastic change in mood, Gajeel waved off the early morning wisdom. "I've heard enough of that kinda talk already," Gajeel groaned, going back to the deep talks held between the master and him in the old man's cramped office space. Seemed like everyone saw him as a careless bastard, especially the older ones, they always had some hard learned experience and past knowledge to spit at him, wisdom he didn't have time to sit down with and listen to for hours on end. He had enough shit to worry about than his mistakes and what he needed to improve on safety wise, and he wasn't a damn idiot neither, he knew that what he did for a living was dangerous and he damn well didn't expect it to be a field of daisies, neither. He rubbed the sore spot between his neck and shoulder as he studied the large tires they had incorporated in their workouts. "I'm too deep in right now, ya know. Can't just walk out like that, it could risk everything."

"Not only do you need to worry for your own life being in danger, you also have to consider those you love as well, am I correct?" Lily asked, and sighed when Gajeel smacked his teeth at his clever partner, though it didn't take a genius to know that this were in fact the case. "Hmph," Lily said with a chuckle. "So that's the reason I never heard about Levy ever again."

Gajeel groaned just at the sound of her name and he pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger, "I told ya it ain't like that! It's not about that..." his eyes trailed upward to the high ceilings of the gymnasium. If he were to be completely honest with himself, he did wonder what the short woman was up to nowadays. Magnolia was a large city, but he still knew it like the back of his hand, especially the tougher parts he grew up in, which must have been on Shorty's daily routes. He was still surprised someone her size was a police officer. It wasn't that it was impossible, he's seen a few short ones patrol the area; if anything it was that innocent glint in her eye that made her come off as anything but intimidating, a gullible girl at most. She wasn't gullible, however; Gajeel learned quickly that she was marvelously clever, and with a bit of research he found out she was top in her class at the academy when it came to bookwork. Everything about her interested him, and he wanted to get to know her more, but it was the wrong time and place and it simply drove him mad.

"She's a cop, isn't she? It appears that a handful of the party guests were young officers." Lily noted from his spot by the squat rack. When Gajeel answered him with a silent nod of the head Lily fixated his stare elsewhere and came to the conclusion that what he had assumed turned out to be right all along. "I see," Lily mumbled with a sympathetic half smile as he took into consideration Gajeel's predicament. The man sure knew how to pick them, didn't he? Of course he had fallen so helplessly for someone so out of his reach; after having the honor of working with Gajeel for the last couple of years, he wondered if the emotionally detached man was aware of how deep in he was with the woman he so easily deflected in everyday conversation. Lily hated to meddle in Gajeel's whereabouts, thoughts and privacy, but he couldn't help his curious nature with such an intriguing man, but he didn't worry too much about his many endless questions. Unless it were downright personal or a painful subject, it wasn't anything that Gajeel wouldn't eventually spill open about over a round of drinks.

Lily hoped that kicking on the sound system would disturb Gajeel's dangerous mind, and he turned the volume up significantly to something upbeat and distracting. The two men shared a grin before getting to work, and Gajeel forced himself to be enthusiastic about a workout he loathed the moment he opened his eyes, which was very out of nature for him. That only showed how much strain he was putting on his body, and his sore muscles nagged at him as he helped Lily pile the weights on the bar. The clock ticked by to about forty five minutes, and the room was filled with the musty smell of sweat and iron; now that the sun was getting higher in the sky, a few more regulars had pulled into the gym. Now growing more and more dreadful with each passing minute, Gajeel called the workout session off. He took a long swig from a new water bottle, "I think I'm gonna call it short today," he dug his other hand in his pocket and turned away. "Got a lot of things ta do."

"Day's still bright and early, where ya heading?" Lily asked from a bench and he patted his hairline with a soaked towel.

"Got a date on the 74th floor," Gajeel smirked as he slung his gym bag over his shoulder. It was meant to be funny, and Lily cracked a smile for his sake but didn't find it all that humorous. He knew Gajeel could handle himself, but still something underneath it all and in the back of his mind gave him a chilling discomfort with the idea of it all.

"Be safe, won't you?" Lily asked from his side of the gym, sounding like a concerning mother again. "You're a man of steel Gajeel, but you're not invincible."

Gajeel grinned at his friend temporarily in a silent _I know_ , only to return to a sullen glower the moment his face turned from Lily and he left the gymnasium.

On the other side of town, past the many tourist attractions that sprouted in the heart of Magnolia, the police station was busy with its usual everyday business. Today was what some would call a rare or boring day; no legitimate emergencies were called in so far, though it were only the morning, and for a moment there was peace as many took a break from their work to finish their breakfast that was growing cold, or to make a coffee and take a few moments to catch up with coworkers in the break room. Everything was going lovely this morning, except for the muffled commotion coming from the Chief of Police's office. Those at the station continued their morning chit chat and coffees without even batting an eye; it was normal to hear those two up and at it, and those who didn't know the scandalous past of the two arguing began their gossip, coming to conclusion that one of them- if not _both_ of them -had it bad for the other. However, in Levy McGarden's opinion, those rumors couldn't be more inaccurate.

What she hated most of everything was how evidently complicated it was to even speak to the thick headed man, and in that frustration lied broken pieces of her heart still yet to healed; she hated how the one person she used to easily talk to like nothing was now practically a stranger in her eyes. Nothing hurt her more than seeing people change for the worst, and it seemed to be that everyone around her was evolving at a pace she couldn't keep up with, and turning into people she didn't know how to approach. It used to be so simple, but now even telling Laxus good morning took a great amount of effort, and if she didn't work with the man she would have just cut him out of her life to save her the irritation of it all. Unfortunately, this weren't the case, and with that being their reality, Levy waited outside his office with her arms crossed tightly over her chest and one shoulder leaning against the doorframe. To make matters worse, Laxus had arrived on the job rather late this morning with a gas station coffee in hand and purple crescent moons lining under his eyes. He face palmed when he saw Levy waiting for him, more pissed off with him than usual, and he groaned before completely walking past her and slamming his belongings on his desk.

That's when she tore into him, exactly fifteen minutes ago. Now snickering was going around the police station, and Lucy nervously twirled a strand of golden hair around her finger as she silently worried about her friend's position at this police station. It was so evident that Laxus still owned a soft spot for Levy, and it bothered Lucy that her friend was so blinded by her own insecurities and raging ambition that she couldn't realize that. Still, despite Laxus's cold attitude he cared for her, but not to the extent that he would just let her nag at him every morning for the rest of their days at the police station. Lucy sighed and rested her chin in the palm of her hand, trying her best to give her boss and best friend the privacy they so clearly lacked in the cramped office. From her desk, she could see that the blinds lining the glass walls of Laxus's office stopped two third down, and her eyes bounced side to side as she studied the way Levy's boots paced back and forth on the stiff carpet.

"I told you I could handle anything," Levy exclaimed towards her higher up with an affronted glare as she placed her hands flat down on the desk between her and the electric, blonde man. Despite her overly polite ways, she wasn't a doormat and knew when enough was enough, but all her assertiveness earned her was a momentary, smug glance at her defiant posture with nothing more than a huff. The blonde man crossed his leg over the other and leaned back in his swivel chair; he took a long, slow sip from his morning coffee before settling with giving her a sideways glare.

"Hmph. If I had a damn dollar for every time I've heard that one," he huffed at her, finding her confidence humorous. "Maybe if Cana weren't already out busy I would consider giving you the call, but even then I still wouldn't think you'd be up for the task."

Levy gritted her teeth at the man's doubtful attitude towards her. "I don't understand! Lucy and I both graduated at the same time and she's been allowed on serious calls even without Natsu around," Levy's angry stare simmered down to something more emotional and pleading. "Please Laxus, I became a police officer because I wanted to protect my people. When I decided to be an officer I didn't work so hard just for giving out speeding tickets and patrolling parks all day. I want to do something, something that would change-!"

Laxus cut her off with the signal of his hand, "Please, McGarden, I don't need a monologue."

Levy bit down on her tongue and returned her hands, which had been flailing around frantically as she spoke, to her sides. Nothing burned more than when Laxus referred to her by her last name; it was just too formal for her liking, like there were in the end only a supervisor and his officer, and that nothing else supported that—no history, no memories, nothing. It's not that Levy cared too much about what Laxus felt for her, the lack of emotion there was mutual, but it was the respect that pissed her off; she knew Laxus since he was a hopeless teenager, when he was nothing, and she felt that she didn't deserve to be looked down on by him when she was his support system during the darkest times of his life. Her cheeks burned as Laxus stared into her, and she kept constant eye contact with him even as he placed his mug down and broke away from her. "When you were becoming an officer you should have studied the part where it said you weren't going to just bust bad guys every day and go on dangerous calls whenever you felt like it. It takes time, Mcgarden, and a damn rookie like you doesn't have the experience to mess with the kinda guys we're talking about."

"But sir—"

"You run into this bunch and I guarantee we'll be receiving you in different parts over the course of a few months," Laxus growled and his voice grew stern as his patience ran thin with her. "If that isn't clear enough for you, let's just say they'll chop you up into pieces and deliver you to your damn mother." He pushes away from the desk and returned to full height, in which he easily towered over Levy's small frame. "Now, if you'll excuse me, both of us have lots of work to be getting done."

"There are twelve girls out there missing," Levy started off strongly, and it was enough to make Laxus's hands slow down, but he still shuffled through his paper work. He acted as if he didn't hear her, or was too busy to have heard her, but she knew he was listening. "Twelve girls ranging from the ages eleven to eighteen," Levy continued slowly.

"Yes, I'm well aware of-,"

"Those girls are children, Laxus. They're someone's daughter, someone's sister." Levy's eyes grew teary just speaking of it, just thinking about how scared they must be and how heartbreaking it was to have their mothers worried sick and calling up the station every minute on the hour. "To think that anything could be happening to them…" She squeezed her hands tightly into fists, "We have so many officers willing to do whatever it takes to bring these girls home, and you have the majority of us managing traffic or sitting around doing nothing! Why, why won't you just—,"

"I don't need you telling me how to do _my_ job, McGarden!" Laxus stomped to his feet and towered over her, as if to prove or remind with their height difference that he was the superior and the one in charge. "What part of 'leave this to those who are capable' do you not understand? This office would run so much smoother if only you'd know your place!" Laxus's words stabbed at her one by one, but she didn't dare break eye contact with him, and the short girl squared her shoulders and planted her feet down on the ground as she raised her chest at him, and although she were so much smaller than him, never had she ever felt so tall in his office before.

"I understand that you doubt my abilities," Levy began, and she balled her hands into fists to stop their trembling from being so noticeable. Laxus sighed and pushed past her, leaving his coffee and paperwork behind to be tended to later. Her stomach flipped when Laxus's trip to the door stopped halfway, and she could tell even with his back pointed to her that he was listening to her. She gulped, "I know that I'm short, I'm tiny, and out of all the officers here I'm the newest." Levy looked down shamefully, but she knew she had to be strong and not so damn sorry for herself all the time. "But at the end of the day I'm still one of the team, and if you give me a chance I can show you what I'm capable of!" Her voice rose louder than she had anticipated, and it bounced off the walls of Laxus's office. There was silence following her plea, and for a moment only the air conditioning could be heard between them. She jumped a little when she heard him sigh, and she watched as Laxus places a large hand against the glass door and push it open.

"I gave you your chance. I put you with Juvia your first couple of months; she's one of the best we got. Proved a lot in those short months, didn't you?" He grumbled as he reached for his keys, and Levy felt something punch her in the stomach when he said that. She felt completely useless with Juvia, she seemed to work better alone, and although the fair woman was kind Levy still didn't know how to talk to her at times. "Now you're Cana's damn problem, couldn't ya just be grateful for once? For fuck's sake." He pushed further and left her behind.

"Laxus, you're being unfair—"

"I believe I ended the discussion!" He roared back, and everyone in the department froze when they heard the man's explosion. They were all a bit startled at first, but none of them looked very surprised. Levy felt the blood drain from her face, and when Laxus marched away from her that same color rushed all the way back, leaving behind a streaks of red up her neck. She fixed her face before leaving the office behind, and when she passed by the coffee machine and water dispenser she was stopped by Lucy. She hadn't even seen her, not when the typical ringing of the phone and tapping on keyboard became white noise to her, and her vision had went blank with only the door across the room being in focus. Levy jumped slightly as she was startled by Lucy's outreached hand.

"Oh, Lu!" Levy sighed with relief. "Sorry, I didn't see you there."

"Didn't go very well, huh?" Lucy asked sympathetically as she pointed towards the office Levy had just crawled out of. Lucy smiled warmly when Levy blushed vividly, and she crumpled up her paper cup and tossed it aside in the bin. "Don't take it to heart; we're pretty new after all. I bet a few months from now we'll be like the rest of them. Then this kind of thing won't matter anymore."

"Yeah but what if that never happens, Lu?" Levy asked negatively. "It could take years, but I don't want to sit around waiting that long. I want to go out and fight crime, protect people." She sighed as she thought about how stupid she must have sounded. "How am I supposed to show Laxus I'm worth something if he doesn't even give me a chance?"

"Maybe he's doing what's best for us," Lucy suggested. "There are still a few calls I can't go on even with Natsu." She nudged Levy with her elbow when her petite friend didn't cheer up at the sound of their shared struggle. "Listen, instead of being so sad, just think about how cool it is that you got paired up with Cana! You two have always been so close, so now going on jobs should be lots of fun!" She smiles giddily at the idea, and Levy forced the corners of her lips up and optimistically agreed for the sake of her friend's happiness. It's not that Levy didn't love the idea of being partnered up with Cana; it's just that she couldn't find herself being particularly happy about anything right now. It didn't change how down right useless she felt, and how she couldn't scratch the feeling off that Laxus's actions were fueled by his deep, burning hatred towards her and that alone was the reason for her lack of motivation.

"You always make me feel better, Lucy." Levy smiled softly and she strolled towards the exit.

"I try my best!" Lucy chirped. "Hey, maybe we can hang out later? You've been so to yourself since the party, which is the whole reason we had the party anyway!" Lucy's eyes widened in realization, "it's not that weird Jet guy again, is it?"

"No, no, no nothing like that!" Levy waves her hand at her and brushed the idea aside. She quickly turned the conversation back to the party. "I'm sorry about that; I've just been focusing on myself is all, reading to my heart's contempt as usual. Don't worry about me," she shot a wink at the blonde and waved her final wave. "I'll see you later."

Levy sighed in relief as she made her way home. She dropped her keys twice before finally unlocking her car, only to get stuck in traffic for about an hour. On the way up the stairs strap of her back came undone, and unfortunately her favorite bag magically self-destructed before she even made it to the second floor of the apartment. After frustratingly picking up the remains of her gutted bag, Levy nearly kicked the door down of the apartment and slammed it behind her, which rewarded her with the sound of picture frames hitting the ground, and one even shattering against the wood. She tugged at her hair and groaned, and instead of giving attention to the mess she instead gratefully kicked her shoes off and tossed her ruined bag aside. She walked towards her bedroom and landed on the soft mattress, sinking into different sheets this time, given the red satin she had only used for a week had grown far too messy that night she spent with the handsome stranger. Now she lied awake against a multicolored quilt, staring out the balcony into the calming golden rays of the setting sun.

That was the funny thing about longing for someone you tried your best to suppress; they always found their way into your mind at the stupidest of times, or at the saddest when you were most vulnerable. She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling that looked miles away from her; her hand trailed down her torso and tugged at the belt securing her pencil skirt gently. She felt her skin heat up as she thought about him: long, unruly raven hair that stopped towards the small of his back, and beautiful crimson eyes that flickered like flames in her dimly lit room. She sighed deeply as she remembered his chiseled features, hollowed cheeks a beautifully sharp jaw, so kissable like the subtle skin she luckily got to taste along his neck. His lips had driven her mad, and she never remembered a time where she lost her breath kissing some, never had she experience something so passionate and breathtaking. Out of everything that beautiful man had to offer, even the many piercings that weren't usually her taste, it had to be the way that he looked at her that truly took the cake. There wasn't anything special about it really, given there were no feelings between the two of them; nothing was between them except for the short exchange of theirs names. She believed that was what made everything so peculiar to her, because the way he looked at her wasn't emotional at all, but instead rather animalistic, the way a predator would stare down its prey, terrorizing it before inevitably tearing it to shreds. Just gazing into his eyes she could tell he was prepared to do all sorts of horrible things to her, and she wanted more than anything to know what that man was capable of.

Levy groaned as her fingers sped in and out of her. She spread her legs wider and cupped one of her breasts with her other free hand. She tugged at her hardened nipple and twisted it the way he had before, and she curled her fingers upward hoping to imitate the way he had pleased her. She felt her heart beat speed up and her legs tremble as she fingered herself friviouslt, and she whimpered and mewled as she felt herself growing closer and closer to the sweet release she desperately needed. In the past couple of months she found herself touching herself quite often, which was crazy given that tjisbwere something she never did more than once every blue moon. It seemed that many things had changed since that man walked into her life, and it drove her up the wall that she had no idea of his whereabouts, no idea of where he could be. When she asked Juvia about him, the woman had no idea who even was, which made Levy curious as to whether he really were just a perverted creep or stalker that had somehow managed to figure out her status at work, but maybe he knew her some other way? It didn't matter to her anymore, all that mattered was her desperately trying to recreate the sensaionsbhe made her feel that night after the party, and a loud moan ripped out of her as she increased her speed.

Levy whined when her climax was coming so close yet so far away. She needed it more than anything, and against she felt like a teen so confused with her body, not knowing how to please herself. Levy begged her body to cooperate, pounded her fingers in and out of her with all her might, and for a second, just a second she believed that maybe that bubble of pleasure would finally pop when she most desperately needed it, only it did— just to deflate like a flattened tire and not rupture the way it so beautifully did three times with the man that had consumed her thoughts so easily. Levy cried out frustrated as yet another session had come to a disappointing halt, and with it already being thirty minutes since she started, her hand had cramped and gone numb and now she was already far too tired to continue. She hadn't cum since Gajeel, and she wondered just how a stranger knew all her right buttons and strings and the right things to say and the right tricks to make her mind explode to the point she'd be scraping bits of it off the wall even later on that week. She was foolish to not have even asked for his number, but it was a one night stand after all, and he wanted to he would have left it on her night stand or given it to her personally that morning instead of disappearing before she woke up cold and alone around seven a.m.

She wasn't surprised, not when she knew he was a one night stand and he was aware of it as well, but something did tug at Levy's chest; something that made her feel dirty, uncomfortable and she couldn't shake the feeling that she was used and damaged and not good for anything else. She knew they were silly thoughts but still they clung to her like pestering insecurities, whispering to her ear whenever she glanced at her reflection in the mirror. Despite how horrible her urges have been, none of the guys she's ran across could ever be good enough for her high standards, which unfortunately sky rocketed in standard the night she lied down with someone who could easily have been the most handsome man in Magnolia. Levy sighed before pulling out of her work uniform and tossing it aside on the cream colored corner chair with intricate black detailing. She decided to go to bed in the nude, sighing with deep relief as the cool, crisp sheets enveloped her overheated body, and without her usual struggle to shut her busy mind down she had already collapsed into a deep, wondrous sleep.

"I'm sorry sir, it's the law," Levy began her usual apology, only this time it came out completely half-assed. She was giving the city park its usual Saturday morning stroll when she witnessed a red vehicle speed rocket past a light that had already been red for twenty seconds. She screamed when all the cars going the perpendicular way halted to a stop, and a symphony of various breaks shrieking to cease filled the early morning air. Luckily for her, Levy was already in her vehicle, and she pulled him over immediately, only to hear that man's mind and his excuse as to how he was going to be late for his meeting, and bla, bla, bla.

"Sorry sir, that's unfortunate," Levy mumbled with no sympathy as she scribbled on her ticket. Deep down she wondered what the odds would be if she tracked down that sports vehicle, the fancy one that Gajeel had driven her home in. Even though it was the kind of car that many of the names filling her quota sped in, the man had drove so carefully with her inside, and something told her it wasn't just his common knowledge that she was a city cop. Stupid scenarios filled her mind as she imagined what it could possibly turn out to be if she were to pull over Mr. Redfox, and her heart hammered at the sight of him rolling the window down and pointing his beautiful face towards her, the same face that had won the genetic lottery as well as her sanity.

 _Is there anythin' I could do to change yer mind, officer Levy?_ Her cheeks flushed as she imagined him pulling her by the collar and towards him, with her head slightly passing the window and their lips only breaths away. _Perhaps ya could punish me some other way?_ He'd say to her daringly, licking the bottom of his lip before seizing her own. Levy's head exploded with steam as she dazed stupidly at the red paint of the man's car; all it reminded her of were his ruby eyes, flickering with lust and desire. She was going mad, simply mad and it killed her that she'd-"

"For fucks sake, lady! I don't have all damn day! Give me the fucking ticket and get out of here!" The man exploded, and Levy with the spotlight on her, she handed it towards him embarrassingly as the man tore out of the park's perimeter. Levy stood there for a few moments, frozen in complete humiliation at what had just overcome her. She was definitely losing her mind, and she hoped to God no one was around to notice what had happened; only life didn't work that way, at least not hers.

"Hmm, that was pretty bad." A familiar sweet voice came from behind her, and Levy almost jumped when she heard the man she thought she'd never see again. She turned around to see a wide smile, deep brown eyes and fire like hair, and a sharp tooth pointing out in his large smile. She supposed there was something charming about the way he carried himself, but despite how hard Levy tried to return the feelings to one of the few men she was comfortable with, at the end of the day she was just that: too comfortable. She blushed towards Jet but not in a bashful way, but instead she was downright embarrassed that he had witnessed her first pull over of the day. Perhaps it were the pathetic scene with the law breaker, but what really made her ashamed was the history between her and the formal friend, and how willingly she wanted to never see him again for the sake of both their heart break.

"J-Jet!" Levy's eyes widened and she tried her best to act natural and not mess with her hands or perform any of her other nervous ticks. "Wh-what are you doing in a place like this?"

"Morning jog," Jet explained. "I always run here on Saturdays, you know that."

Now she felt stupid. "Oh," she started off and rubbed the back of her neck. "I haven't seen you here lately though; I um, usually patrol on Saturday's." She explained, and her voice locked up when a saddened expression overcame his features.

"Oh, I see." Jet kicked at some straggling pebbles between them. He dug his hands into his sports jacket and shrugged his shoulders lazily. "Not to down the mood but I've been a real bummer lately, only got back to running s couple of weeks ago." Noticing the way Levy's face churned with bottled up guilt, Jet forced on his iconic sharp toothed smile. "It feels really good to get back on track! I never realized how alive running could make you feel, it's great." Distress chopped his words up and slammed them on a shaken platter in front of her. "I'm feeling great, life is great. I'm _happy_ ," he bit back almost defiantly, as if to prove to her that throughout whatever their hearts were hurting for, it was she who was in for the pain and not him. However, Levy knew him long enough to be able to pinpoint all warning signs for his sadness, and the main alarm went off in those broken eyes of his.

"I'm glad, Jet. Really, I am." Levy smiled brightly at him, hoping to God he was telling the truth and not holding a mask over his face for her sake. Jet didn't respond to that, only he admired the way the morning light kissed the high apples of her cheeks, and how natural and beautiful she was with nothing but her smile and long lashes kissing against her skin whenever she batted her eyes. She was so different compared to the makeup plastered women he's been catching from strip clubs or off corner streets and he missed the bare, down to earth woman who he had so horribly fucked up with. And the truth was he wasn't okay, he'll never be okay, because he knew there wasn't a snowballs chance in Hell Levy would ever look at him again, and what hurt the most is he wasn't even sure if she even met the real him to begin with.

"How are you feeling, Levy?" He asked her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm great!" She chirped and her eyes shined brightly like she was the happiest girl in the world. "Now that training is over I won't be glued to Juvia's hip anymore. I really got lucky and ended up being partnered up with Cana that is if I'm not already doing things on my own, which will be really cool too."

"That's good," Jet smiled uncontrollably, and guilt filled his chest when he remembered how harsh he had been with her when she told Droy and him that he wanted to be a city cop. Something about his bookworm Levy fighting crime and shooting guns and putting herself in danger was so offsetting to him. He didn't like it, and the stubborn girl got so fed up with him that she worked hard enough to get assigned to the Magnolia police department of all damn things, meaning she was in the roughest most dangerous department of them all. He felt bad now that he saw how happy she was for her decisions, and how eager he was to take that said happiness away from her, but Levy never came off a fighter, and handing out tickets were more her style, but he knew that wasn't what she wanted. "Have you heard from Droy?" Jet's poor attempt in a shift of topic rewarded him with a saddened smile rather than the good news he had expected. He knew he didn't stand a chance trying to hold a conversation with him, but he knew Droy always had a soft spot for Levy, acting like a protective brother and all. He knew Droy didn't care much about hearing from him, but if anything he'd at least try to keep in contact with Levy, given how important she was to him.

"I was going to ask you the same thing, honestly." Levy adjusted her headband and her eyes trailed away from Jet's sullen look. "It's been months since we've said anything. Last I heard from him he was back in school to be a pharmacist; oh, and something about him getting a better position running Magnolia's green house, huge tourist attraction or whatever."

"Oh, I didn't know the last part, but I knew he was in school. Heard around the block he's getting with one of those mermaid heel's girls."

"You're kidding!" Levy's eyes widened at the sound of it. "Isn't that a night club?"

"Yeah but it's pretty tame compared to the others, not really provocative. More like a bar if anything." Jet stretches his arm across his chest and let out a breath he was holding in. "But that was months ago."

"Yeah, it was." Levy agreed.

"Listen, I uh, know you're on your job or whatever," Jet started off nervously, and he began twisting a pierce of red hair between his index finger and thumb. His fair skin bloomed red and Levy smiled warmly as she knew where this was going. "But it's still pretty early and, well... your favorite coffee place is just up the avenue. Would you like to..?"

"I don't think one small coffee would get me into any trouble," Levy giggled as she locked her car and stepped in line with Jet. Side by side they crossed the large Central Park of Magnolia to the corner cafe she'd grown so in love with. It's been the longest since she'd stepped inside, and she was welcomed with the strong smell of coffee beans and warm spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg; she inhaled deeply as she could even pick up on subtle hints of old pages, and it was the used books section of the cafe that made her heart sing. A small sign plastered on the brick walls informed the public to find a book and keep it, and Levy hummed with excitement at the free novels up for her liking.

"Maybe we should make plans with Droy," Jet began as he studied the menu hard. "I know he probably won't be up for it, but it's worth a shot. Things just aren't the same without the two of you."

"Tell me about it, I feel like a zombie without you guys." Levy didn't scan the menu, only the specials sign that usually showed new creations or sales. She always settled on something along the lines of white chocolate mocha, but considering how warm the weather had gotten she was moving towards an iced coffee instead of her usual lattes. "I'm sure Droy would come around, what's the saying? Time heals wounds?"

"Yeah, I personally believe there isn't much to heal. The guys just being an asshole about all of this," Jet glared, but he wasn't angry at their mutual friend. They were both aware that Droy was heartbroken the moment his best friend got with the girl he had fallen madly in love with, and Levy kept her childhood friends strictly in the friend zone to make sure this sort of predicament never happened, yet one thing lead to the other. Stupidly their whole friendship crashed in flames and all went in vain when Levy and Jet's relationship didn't even make it past a few short months. She was grateful they were anything but serious; it made rekindling with Jet so much easier, even though there was still a heavy pain on both their chests as they knew they could never look at one another the same way again. Still, Jet was making an effort and Levy took it into consideration. Refusing to allow him to pay for her, Levy swiped her card and then proceeded to grab the largest book off of the free library.

The two of them perched themselves on one of the high tops by the window, and past the glass and bustling pedestrians that swarmed this classic part of town, Levy could see her cop car still parked a couple blocks down. She wished Jet would allow her to sit in silence with the comfort of her good book, but he was a talkative one that immediately engaged her in small talk. "So what have you been up to lately? Whatcha do this morning, Lev? It's so good to talk to you."

Levy's face flared up as she was brought back to this morning, where she had failed to escape her exhausting urges through sleep. She woke up in need more than ever, and for the first forty minutes of her she was perched against the shower walls, he leg propped over the soap carrier and her hand swirling in circles between her legs. Actually, for the past couple of months that's really all Levy had been up to: masturbating, getting wine drunk, cancelling plans on Cana and Lu, reading books and getting disrespected and looked down on at work. None of that sounded like good conversation making, so she plastered on a smile and shrugged her shoulders slightly. "Oh, you know the usual; book stores and coffee, patrolling and staying in. I guess I'll always be boring."

"Hmm, nice to know nothing's changed," Jet grinned. He then went into a long monologue about how he was doing, and the new loft he got that overlooked the square, and about the promotion he got in his job, and how his running was getting better, and just all these things that Levy enjoyed hearing but couldn't find any interest in. It was easier hanging out with hot Jet and Droy because one boy at a time became easily overwhelming, and she prayed the day would come where Droy stopped ignoring their calls and leaving them cold, waiting on his doorstep with no answer. Levy fell into a rhythm of nodding her head and saying _uh-huh,_ and she was an expert at making people believe they were the most fascinating person she's ever met, all while she didn't retain anything that they had said. Well, she cared about Jet so she did listen here and there, but the man spoke as fast as he ran.

Their cups were emptied by the time Levy had become a part of the conversation, and Jet checked his watch to see that an hour had passed. She was slightly annoyed at how little she got to speak, and then she found herself developing a horrible realization that she hadn't shut up the night Gajeel was over, neither. She hoped her rambling wasn't the real reason the man left her to wake up to an empty room; she just had a lot to say, and he never told her to stop talking so that must have meant he didn't mind, did he? She hoped to God that he didn't find her talking as painfully boring as she found Jet's. Speaking of Jet, he looked sad at this point, "I'm really not trying to get you in trouble, Lev."

"No, no it's fine. I needed a break, anyway." She slid off the high chair and tossed their trash away for them. "It was nice to catch up, thank you for inviting me out."

"No, thank you!" Jet grinned, and his cheeks flushed when Levy smiled beautifully back at him. He gritted his teeth when she exited the cafe, and before he could help himself he grabbed her just he had come crashing out. Levy was so startled by the hand wrapping around her wrist that she didn't have to stop him from planting his lips on her, and her eyes widened at the feel of him pressed against her hard. Her mind went blank and all she could remember was how more fulfilling it was to kiss the large, pierced man, and how she wanted to taste everything he could give her, and how terrible he had made this kiss happening right now feel. She'd do anything to kiss the man that she couldn't stop thinking of, and out of reflex or frustration she twisted around slightly to add more power to slap that stung the pad of her hand as it struck against Jet's cheek.

"L-Levy," He stuttered, and it took him a few minutes to register what she had just done before brushing the slap mark with his fingertips.

"Are you insane?!" Levy shrieked our, and those passing by slowed down to witness the actually on the rather cheerful Saturday morning. There was silence between the two of them apart from the busy traffic and the sound of the coffee shop's doors jingling with more customers coming in and out. The smell that had once engulfed her now made her sick to her stomach, and she glared up at her friend with tears eyes. "I'm in uniform, you idiot, are you trying to get me in trouble?!"

"Levy, I—"

"And that's beside the point, what do you think you're doing? You can't just— we can't just—!" She stumbled on the words to say. "It's not like that anymore, Jet! You can't just do that!"

Jet's eyes widened at the young girl's distress, and he felt everything in his chest shatter. He gritted his teeth and suddenly he felt angry, angry that he could never understand her and even angrier at the fact that he knew deep down she didn't want him to. She never wanted this to happen; she didn't want it to work, so why did she even try? Perhaps she did feel that sorry for him.

"I'm sorry, Levy. I wasn't thinking..." he paused short when Levy's glare tore away from him and she settled her eyes on the ground, trying desperately not to cry. She was trembling as she tried her best not to make another scene, and luckily for the both of them those who had witnessed the slap were already going on with their day or had already passed the street, as if this corner cafe was notorious for distressed couples that fought and yelled and hit one another on Saturday mornings. He squeezed his hands into fist, and it hurt him more than anything to say it, but he had to know. He had to. "There's... another guy now, isn't there?"

"What?" Levy asked as she focused on the weeds sprouting between the cracks of the concrete, rather than the blushed skin where she had slapped him, hard.

"Another guy," he repeated himself, and now at a loss for words Levy felt as if she were the one who had been slapped in the face. Jet's eyes narrowed at her, "You're seeing somebody, aren't you? I mean, it wouldn't surprise me. You're amazing, Levy." Jet was almost inaudible, and he smiled sadly at the thought. Levy was speechless, and all she could think about was falling asleep in large, muscular arms after one of the best nights of her life. There was someone else, definitely someone else, but she would never see him again, so ultimately it didn't count.

"It's not like that, Jet. Trust me, I wish that were the case, maybe then I'd—" she went quiet when she realized that was the worst thing she could say to him. She lowered her head and shook it slightly, regretful for her words. "I'm sorry, Jet, for everything. I ruined everything..."

Jet's sharp glare softened as he forced a smile for her. "Chin up, Levy, I'll always be there for you."

"You shouldn't be, I don't deserve it," Levy choked up, and she sniffled and turned her face towards the wall besides them and away from the public.

"I love you, Levy." Jet whispered, and he wiped his broken expression off with a chipper grin, as if they hadn't just made a scene. "Consider this closure, okay? Please, for me." He shoved his hands back into his sports jacket and smiled softly at her. He nodded before heading the opposite direction of her car and away from the park all together, clearly avoiding walking with her. She watched as his back grew smaller and smaller, until she strolled towards her car in defeat.

She crawled in the door and slumped all the way down in her seat so those passing by wouldn't be able to see her. She covered her face with her hands and pressed her fingers firmly against her eyes to keep the tears trapped and refused to let the slide down her cheeks. If it weren't Laxus becoming a completely different person, it was the absence of Jet and Droy in her life that reminded her like a punch in the face that she was completely alone. Yeah, she had the girls, but nowadays Lucy was so caught up in everything Natsu and their endless calls that she hardly had time to see her, and Cana was much older than her and living a life of her own, so other than the few times Laxus will put them together, she could guarantee her partner would be out drinking and doing things on her own. It pained Levy's chest to know that she'd had come to this point in her life, and perhaps maybe that's why she missed him so much. She only knew his name and nothing more, yet somehow he had made the pain stop momentarily, and for that she was grateful towards him. For the first time in a while, she didn't feel alone and maybe it was the pillow talk and the way his fingers combed through her hair that gave her this false sense of reality, but for the short few hours that it lasted, she had loved it. Now she didn't know what to do, and instead of doing her job she pressed her forehead against the steering wheel, closing her eyes and feeling sick to her stomach as the inconsiderate kiss from earlier burned against her lips like fire.

 **A/N:** Hey lovelies! Sorry for the boring Jet scene, it's needed to make sense as to how Levy's currently doing with her life. It's just the sake for story line, but Jet and Droy won't be mentioned anymore, we have too much to focus on! Again, thank you so much for reading, you guys are literally the best. Please leave a review of what you like so far, it really warms my heart to hear from you guys. Until then, take care!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Hello sunshine! Welcome back! So, to start off on a happy note I just wanted to say that you are loved and that you are the best for continuing to read. Sorry about the teasing but don't worry, Gajeel and Levy will be reunited soon! Be patient with me.

 **Chapter 3**

 **It was the first warm Saturday morning of the year** , and Central Park was bustling with families, happy faces jogging and tourists enjoying the beautiful sights of Magnolia. Amongst the cheerful, upbeat population was a rather gloomy individual; he kept his body stiff and his shoulders hunched as he slithered opposite of the stream of people. Gajeel kept to himself as he maneuvered through the thick crowd of pedestrians, ignoring the many displease grunts huffed towards him when his arm bumped into someone or he tore through a group by strolling right through the center of the crowd. It was routine of him to pick up stares on a regular, and it had to be his long spiky hair or probably the many piercings that complimented his face that rewarded him with side glances and double takes. Whatever it was he thought little of it. Stares meant nothing to him and he'd grown past caring— he didn't even care enough to return the gesture with his chilling glare that commonly made people tear away from him or pretend they never noticed him at all. It was the perks of having a natural scowl and a worthy set of unwelcoming, glaring eyes. The crowd eventually concluded mutually and silently that he was no good, an outcast of their peach perfect society, and together the crowd slowly separated like ocean weaves parting; not noticeable, but a clear tunnel was definitely there in the midst of people trying their best to avoid the dark, sullen man. He enjoyed the lack of company and stepped forward onto the cross walk, blending in surprisingly well with the rest of the chipper city dwellers that started their days bright and early.

He took a sharp turn down the subway and made past the small security gate by taking the place of a child who passed the gate during his mother's turn. No one noticed that Gajeel didn't swipe an access card against the lit up screen, and if they had noticed they didn't dare say anything; it was the city and people minded their business even in said moments where other people's business needed their minding- witnessing crimes for example. The lack of concern in city people ticked him off but he couldn't help but feel as if he fit right perfectly in. The city created cold individuals despite how unrealistically smiley the citizens of Magnolia were, and with that being said his character made him stick out like a dark stain on a pure white carpet. Kicking the thoughts aside, Gajeel slipped onto the train just before the doors slid closed, and he remained by the entrance for the next fifteen minutes or so, until he ended up on the opposite side of town where his destination would reside in one of the tall towers that kissed the sky. He looked around to make sure nothing about the scene around him looked suspicious; traffic was horrible this hour of the morning and the sound of breaks squeaking and car horns blowing distracted his senses as he kept a look out. With only the typical businessmen carrying their suits and a few homeless stragglers, Gajeel pushed through the roundabout entrance and grunted at the receptionist that didn't pay him much attention, neither. The red headed woman had a stare to her that drove Gajeel up the wall, and she was so creepily fascinated with everything that he tried his best to never interact with her. She tilted her head as she following him with his eyes, and he felt that disturbing glare burn into the side of his neck. Passing the main lobby, Gajeel extended his arm and ran his hand over the smooth, iced buttons of the elevator and stepped forward into the glass chute. He watched as the number grew higher and higher, with a green light illuminating each floor passing by. It felt like years until he reached the 74th floor of the East Avenue building, and he stepped onto the thick maroon and chestnut carpet that lined the cramped corridor.

Despite his years running around what many would call the 'wrong crowd', there were still times he couldn't get rid of the nervous feeling rising in the back of his throat like bad vile whenever he stepped foot on the 74th floor. It wasn't that he was scared, no, Gajeel refused to be fearful of anything, it only made him lose his focus, but he was definitely capable of being nervous, and a common nervous tick of his was squeezing his hands into fists and tightening them into a strong clench before releasing slightly over and over. He was nervous due to the responsibilities laid on his shoulders, which if he were to fuck up the lives of everyone he cared about could be in grave danger. He thought about this as he stood outside the office door, and he took a deep breath in before drumming his knuckles across the thick wood and fixing his face into one of a neutral expression. He could hear the floor on the other side of the door weigh down from someone's weight, and in moments the door was swung open and he passed the threshold. Beyond the doorframe was an upscale office space, with large floor to ceiling windows lining the walls. From first glance it was your typical office floor plan, equip with a break room and water fountain, but behind the fake smiles and sunlit environment it was nowhere near the bright, ecofriendly work space that it portrayed itself to be.

Gajeel avoided eye contact with everyone as he made his way straight to his destination. He kept his speed at a normal walking pace, calm and steady to bring no attention to himself. As he crossed the workspace, he reached for the doorknob of the office positioned in the back of the room. He knocked once more, and after a brief moment of waiting allowed himself in. Without hearing an audible call of permission, he remained at the slightly cracked open door and peered through to find the man at his desk just as he expected him to be, though the man seemed to be lost in his thoughts momentarily, staring out at the tall, glass buildings shooting out of the asphalt and glistening from the sun which was high in the sky. The morning rush hour had ceased down, but no one in Magnolia knew how to damn drive and therefore the highway weaving through the concrete jungle was congested and one sluggish, solid line of neutral colors. There was an eerie silence to the office; not even the sound of the air going off or even the radio, but by now Gajeel knew this were something his boss preferred.

"Gajeel, is that you, my boy?" The middle aged man chuckled to himself as he spun slightly side to side in his office chair. Gajeel couldn't explain what it was about Ivan's voice that made him uncomfortable. If you were to meet the man randomly you'd be easily mistaken that he were just wise and a man of fine taste, but Gajeel knew the way Ivan dragged his words and crinkled his eyes could only mean he was scheming something, and the sugary sweet words that left his mouth were artificial and soft spoken poison. "My, my, prompt as always, aren't you?"

"You called me, sir?" Gajeel asked, still in the doorway with his hand glued to the knob.

"Perhaps I had," he grinned sickly, "Please, do come in. You're going to need to learn to not be so proper around me, Gajeel; you know how _nervous_ it makes me." Ivan glanced slightly behind his shoulder, only enough for Gajeel to catch the rich, dark color of his eyes, but not enough to make decent eye contact.

Without saying much to that, Gajeel closed the door behind him and situated himself in one of the two burgundy, upholstered chairs angled towards the desk. From the window he could barely pick up the silhouette of the devil himself, a twisted man with deep set eyes and a smile that could mean anything, anything but good. Gajeel bristled up just being near the damn bastard, and his hand itched for the weapon tucked away in the inner pocket of his jacket, pressed tight against his rib. His boss stood out like a hideous stain in the well-furnished and upbeat work environment, and if it weren't for the history behind him you'd think he were any uptight, wealthy business owner. Gajeel, however, knew the bastard preferred the pristine, polished atmosphere of his throne overlooking the city, and that the dirty work that happened in the outskirts was only briefly visited weekly, on a Sunday evening or perhaps a Thursday when his shift ended. Gajeel hadn't been yet, but with some research he's heard of the gruesome details, a horrible, terrifying place that could only be described as hell, and if only he could win the man's trust he'd be able to see it for himself. But how?

"My son," the man started. "My sweet, _sweet_ , Laxus; tell me, has he been a good boy?"

"Nothing to report now, sir," Gajeel started off with a look sharp enough to slice through steel. "From what I've obtained in my last investigation, it sounds that they're trying to devise a plan about the missing reports, and they're still running circles around the most recent cases," he said with a smirk to show that this weren't anything to be concerned of. "Everything is going as planned, sir."

Ivan swiveled around in his chair to reward Gajeel with his full attention. He remained silent, and this was just one of the abounding customs that Ivan owned, but this one particularly drove Gajeel mad. He hated it that whenever he said something that Ivan found worrisome or intriguing; it was always resulted in him taking a deep breath and contemplating it silently. When weren't the gears in his cranking up another despicable plan? The worst part was that it could be minutes on end of the man just sitting in silence, _thinking_ , and Gajeel learned from secondhand experience that the man did _not_ approve of those speaking without permission, and that you couldn't really tell when you actually did have a right to speak. He's witnessed himself the way a man was pointed at gun fire just for speaking out line. Fortunately, Gajeel wasn't good at chit chat anyway, but he wished the man's silence wouldn't make the minutes tick by like hours. The suffocating quiet of the office became smothering, and Gajeel's train of thought immediately turned to the jewel encrusted lighter in Ivan's hand, and with a quick strike of his thumb a flickering flame burned the end of his cigar. Ivan took a drag, and the end burned bright orange, before he blew the exhale in Gajeel's direction, knowing full well he didn't like the smell of the particular tobacco Ivan enjoyed. "You've always been such a loyal servant, Gajeel." Ivan chose to say after their silence hat had stretched over for ten minutes. "About Laxus..." Ivan continued, and he rose from his seat to walk further down and stare out the window once more, and with one hand behind his back and the other holding the cigar to the side of his mouth, Gajeel wondered what it was an evil man could set his focus on while looking out past the city. I'm sure he liked it up here in his glass office, overlooking the crowded streets seventy floors below, a city that he had full control over, with every skyscraper and street light sprouting from the palm of his hand.

"Laxus," Ivan repeated himself, testing the name in his mouth. "Is he still with that girl?"

 _That girl,_ the man's words echoed in Gajeel's mind with a chilling effect. It felt as if something heavy had dropped in his stomach and was weighing him down. He made sure to not allow his feelings to translate on his face; his grip tightened only slightly on the arm rests and he leaned back before kicking one leg over. He smirked up at Ivan who must have been in a cheerier mood than usual, given he returned a ghost of a grin back at Gajeel who confidently explained to Ivan his most recent research.

"I spoke to the girl personally, they aren't on good terms," he explained, and Ivan lost himself in another one of his silent, contemplating zone outs and left Gajeel behind with his own thoughts. Gajeel kept his face neutral as his mind was propelled to that damn night he had been watching her. He was there to find out if the young police officer was still a weakness for their target, Laxus, and Gajeel waited patiently to find her off guard or alone, and he contemplated how he was going to make his way into her life, crawl into her mind and file through the information his boss requested he bring back with him. It was a complicated case most of the time, given the woman was always stuck in home or going to work, and there wasn't much she did outside unless she was dragged out by one of her friends. The perfect opportunity had been when he was trying to escape the noise of the party, when he leaned against his car for a quick smoke, only to hear the side door of the apartment open, and a careful bluenette looking behind her shoulder as she gently closed the door behind her. She had almost tumbled down the steps, and she walked around in her terribly high heels with slightly bent legs, like a toddler who still hadn't quite gotten the hang of walking yet.

She peeled her shoes off and became significantly shorter, and then as she paused under the streetlight and considered chugging down the last drink she had brought with her from the party, he remembered the way the sunset golden light rained over her frail shoulders. He recalled seeing how downright miserable she looked; like her dog had been ran over this morning and she found him as a bloody surprise in her driveway. Gajeel studied everything about her, as he was supposed to on a job like this, and as she closed the distance between them he could tell she was drunk from the way she staggered around and almost lost her balance. She wore a white, pin striped blouse with belle sleeves and a v neck that scooped teasingly low down her chest. It stopped short just above her bellybutton, showing a strip of skin before a tight skirt complimented her bodacious hips and thick thighs as she sashayed towards his car. Paired with stockings curving down smooth legs and a dark headband pulling back her cornflower hair, Gajeel immediately considered how dangerous it was for her to be walking, especially at this hour and looking like _that._ Despite her obvious beauty, Gajeel's idea of a perfect body and her revealing outfit, the small woman didn't look too concerned about her safety, and she drunkenly swayed through the dark alleys in one of the most crime filled spots in the city.

 _Cops think they can handle anything_ , he concluded with another drag of his cigarette. _How stupid_ , he thought to himself as he watched her sling the drink she gave up on and watched as its contents splattered against the wall, and some of it on her. She staggered past him, and seeing at what a messed up state she was in he called out to her, in which she didn't even hear him. Her stare was glazed over, and the white of her eyes resembled pale pink watermelon. After a few attempts to catch her attention, she stopped in her steps and slowly she turned to look at him. Everything had gone still then, he remembered, and the ash from his cigarette had fell to its end as it landed against rain soaked asphalt. Her eyes blinked bashfully as a shoulder length, waved section of hair framed her face as she tilted it towards him. Though in the dark, he could tell there was a light tilt to her dark eyes, meaning the color must have been honey, and later on that evening when he stared into them, just before they fluttered and she fell asleep, he could detect specks of gold in her chestnut orbs. The entire time he was with her he couldn't imagine seeing her with Laxus, she just didn't seem like the guy's taste, especially after Gajeel had found him on a few encounters with a fair-haired barista, who was the exact opposite of Levy in every category, from her height, body, overly sweet, syrupy personality and the way she couldn't stop talking it seemed— talking about everyone. That was more of Laxus's type; a woman who'd run him over, keep him in his place since he couldn't do it himself with that shit attitude, arrogant sneer and time consuming schedule. Levy was too soft, too submissive, too easily overlooked by him and taken for granted. At least, that's what Gajeel could get out of her from the six or so hours he got to know her, before he peeled out of her apartment in the dusk of dawn to never be seen again.

He'd been watching Levy for a while before that night; he'd seen her on her patrols, pulling people over, grabbing coffee with the blonde and other small activities that led her quiet, mostly solitary life. He'd given those details to Ivan, for whatever reason he wanted them, until he sent Gajeel back to ask about her association with his son. He had gone with Lily, just so his presence didn't stick out in the crowd as the lonesome man keeping to himself at a party, watching from the shadows. With Lily, the two of them looked like stragglers who stumbled upon unwelcomed and stuck around, and considering they weren't bothering anyway they were allowed to stay. He remained close to the door of the living room, taking slow sips of liquor as he watched the mob crowd around the modern kitchen, with pizza boxes and shot glasses littering the white marble. In the middle of the commotion was the short girl, who at first hesitantly remained pushed against the wall and away from the drinks lined up on the island for her until someone had pulled her under the spotlight. She gulped as the shot glasses were filled messily, with the liquor spilling over the counter and dripping to the floor, and she turned to her friends in hopes they were kidding. A tall brunette had said something snappy then, and Levy eyebrows furrowed as a sense of determination overcame her features.

Gajeel watched from the background, fascinated with the girl who squared her shoulders and forced down her first shot, and his lips curled into a smile as her face churned into discomfort as the liquid fire burned down her throat. Her face flushed and she coughed into the back of her hand, but the men and women wrapped around the island in a ring cheered her on, and with a slap to the middle of her back, Levy went down the line, taking shot after shot, not thinking about it, and her fair skin blushed as she downed the last one and slammed the cup down. She looked like she was going to be sick, and the crowd cheered wild as the brunette wrapped an arm around Levy's shoulders and jumped up and down exclaiming how proud she was for her. Levy smiled shortly, but her eyes widened and a hand clasped over her mouth as she tore out of her friends hold and sped her way to the nearest restroom, where a troubled blonde friend followed after her. For the remaining two hours the two girls were nowhere to be seen, even after their troubled fiasco in the restroom.

That's why he was almost surprised to find her lingering outside on her own and with another damn drink in her hand, the perfect opportunity. The sex wasn't his idea, in fact it was never his intention; he truly only followed her into the apartment to learn more about Laxus and then things took their turns and he'd rather not go back into detail. He didn't plan on spending the night with her, and he hadn't planned on deciding to make her breakfast, that is until he woke up next to her in the morning light and saw her in her peaceful state, still naked from the night before and the scar underlying her breast. The scar sent chills up his spine just seeing it, and he dropped the idea of spending the morning, getting to know her, and instead left behind a tall glass of water and some aspirin as a small reminiscent of the heavy drinking the night before. He remembered pushing the loose bangs away from her eyes and tucking them aside, an obvious excuse to trace his fingers against her smooth skin once last time; the woman stirred in her sleep from his touch.

Gajeel places his thoughts aside for a moment to return to what really mattered, and he watched as Ivan was now fixing them both a short glass of scotch. "Hmm. Didn't think so," Ivan concluded. "Laxus is as good at romance as he is at running a police unit," and with that Ivan snorted at the thought of it all. "Still, there is another person I want you to bring me back information on. It seems the two of them are beginning to get close," Ivan handed the glass to Gajeel, extending his arm past his desk and sent a chilled, twisted smile. Gajeel accepted the drink with a nod and finished it at a slower pace than what he usually would have; as he savored the drink, his tense shoulders rested as Levy was taken out of the spotlight of the conversation. Hopefully she'd never return to the attention of Ivan, and if Laxus played his cards right then Levy would never have to worry about badgering the mafia anyhow, and until her first year was up she'd only be concerned with parking violations and speeding tickets. At least then she'd be safe, and in the back of Gajeel's mind that information alone gave him some inner peace.

"A barista at Fairy Tail," Ivan started as he finished his drink in one large gulp. "She seems to be a very popular woman with the men, though, I would assume for various reasons. A whore if I've ever seen one," he chuckled to himself. "I've had a few of my men scout her out, she has two siblings who both work with her. Their mother did an excellent job in producing _eyesores_ , but it's not the other two that I'm concerned about. The older girl seems to have gotten a little too attached to my son," he thought about it for a moment and left Gajeel once more alone with his thoughts. "That Laxus... I wonder what he really believes he'll get out of all of this. Perhaps I'm the cause for my son's blatant disrespect, I did raise him some way or another..." There was a moment before Ivan propelled his glass at the wall past Gajeel's shoulder, and Gajeel stared unbothered and straight ahead as the glass shattered and sprinkled against the hardwood floors behind him. "Damn persistent bastard, just like his putrid _mother_ ," Ivan seethed, but even through his reddened skin and clenched teeth Gajeel could see the darkened emotion clouding the insane man's eyes, a shadow overcoming him with regret of his words, that gave Gajeel a feeling that Ivan didn't feel that way about his deceased wife at all. Surely she had something to do with him turning bat shit crazy; it just didn't make sense how Ivan was the generation between the respectable master and the honorable Laxus.

"Who is this barista?" Gajeel asked him.

"Oh, why of course," Ivan smiled as he returned to his usual state, as if he hadn't just caused a scene. He adjusted his tie and returned to his seat in front of Gajeel. He cleared his throat and his momentary heated anger from before dissipated like steam. A photo of the woman was pushed across the desk, and stopping just before his glass was a shot of the woman off guard, a snapshot of her face which had been taken of her without her notice a few blocks away. Her award winning smile and crinkled eyes were fixated elsewhere and not in the direction of the camera; she was so innocent and unaware that she was being watched. It was chilling to know that she was being stalked as they spoke, and Gajeel wondered why the job was being turned over to him if she were already being tail gated anyway. To Gajeel's surprise the woman was also found on a magazine, perched on two knees with her arms bent behind her head and her fingers laced around the back of her neck. The woman smiled brightly over the Sorcerer Weekly cover page, and it was the that it clicked in him that he recognized her, not only as a model, but someone who he had met not too long ago. "Her name is Mirajane Strauss, she's a popular amongst the night shift," Ivan added when Gajeel looked up from the collected photos.

Gajeel's eyes darkened as he anxiously awaited his boss's orders. "Do you wish for me to—,"

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!" Ivan spat out quickly as he waved his finger side to side. "We must not jump to conclusions so quickly, not until I'm sure that McGarden woman is out of the picture. They do work together, after all." His eyes narrowed then, and Gajeel felt the hairs on his body stand up at the mentioning of Levy once more. "I believe she's more of a threat than that night club slut from earlier, don't you believe? And if not, perhaps you could keep a good eye on her for me, just to help ease my nerves," Ivan gave a smile that could only be considered pernicious.

"Yer wish is my command, boss," Gajeel grumbled nonchalant and nodded as he was excused. He pushed his chair back and made his way for the door; he stepped over the glass that glistened over the carpet and stopped when Ivan called out his name. Gajeel froze as he glanced behind his shoulder, and there Ivan had returned the cigar to the corner of his mouth, puffing on it and concentrating on him long and hard through the wisps of smoke clinging around him.

"Sir?"

"That little girl, _Levy,_ " the way Ivan said her name was sickening, like she were a disgrace or that her name was a curse word he had never tried out before, but one with the deepest insult of them all. "If that futile woman troubles you in any form…" He took a long, deep drag o his cigar and took his time releasing the smoke from his lungs. His eyes glistened up at Gajeel and a shadow clung to his under eyes. His thin lips curved up into a repulsive smile and he flashed a row of manipulating perfect teeth. When the smoke cleared and his mind was set, he twirled the cigar in his hand. "If she gets in the way, don't hesitate to kill her."

Gajeel's stomach dropped at how simple it was for Ivan to say those words, like he was asking him to take care and not claim the life of another human being so easily. "That's an order," Ivan added with a daring glance, and was pleased to find Gajeel giving him a short nod with no argument before leaving the office.

•••

 **For the first time in the past couple of months** Levy had found herself in a drastically different mood. For once the cloud of doom had disappeared from under her eyes and she now looked alive and alert, and it wasn't just Levy who had noticed the significant impact of her attitude; Lucy and Juvia sent one another bright, relieved grins from across the room, and they watched from the background as their energetic, lively friend had returned from her unmotivated, depressed hiatus. Levy easily laughed along joyously with those around her, and now in her very bubbly state that those who knew her missed dearly, many heads whipped around or poked out from their cubbies to find the source of the beautiful and melodic laughter, and now the rumor gin had cranked out a different form of tweaked facts and "so-and-so said", and now the men in the department questioned if she were single. Something scandalous must have happened between Laxus and her, because now the commonly overlooked rookie was pairing up with the impressive Alberona and heading out on an important request given by the big guy himself. People questioned how she managed to make him change his mind, and that sort of gossip only churned out the most horrible explanations that made Levy sound as if she was skillful and experienced in dirty, under-the-table persuading. Focusing back on the special request, the mission was going to be tomorrow around noon, and Levy was horribly restless as she counted down every second of the minute. She wasn't even upset that she was stuck on parking duty for the day, and joyfully she placed parking ticket underneath window wipers and beamed a bright, happy smile at her unhappy victims whose expressions were in deep contrast compared to her wide grin.

Levy hummed happily as she drummed her fingers against a sunset-orange coffee mug, and she took slow, hesitant sips to prevent the drink from scorching her tongue, and only in these small breaths she blew over the drink's surface would her smile finally take a break. Her cheeks were sore from smiling so hard and so consistently, but she couldn't stop her over spilling happiness that made the office so much brighter. The break room's door swung open and for an instant broke Levy away from her exciting day dreams. Her eyes glistened when she saw one of her favorite people step inside, and the mischievous brunette gave her a charming smile when she pleasantly found out she wasn't going to be grabbing a coffee alone. "Cana!" Levy cheered as she set aside her drink and wrapped her arms around the woman's torso. Although their height difference wasn't as drastic compared to Levy and Gajeel or Laxus, she was still a bit shorter than her friends, and so she nuzzled her face into Cana's neck as she tightened her hold around her.

"Hey baby blue," Cana said through some hearty laughter, and it made Levy giggle even more knowing that with Cana's well known loud, carrying voice that the whole station knew the rowdy pair had crossed paths. "You seem to be in a good mood, something you haven't told me, hmm?" Cana arched a brow as the face once nuzzled into her neck glanced up at her with flushed cheeks.

"Cana, you pervert!" Levy slapped the back of her hand against Cana's chest. She pushed away and leaned against the counters of the small kitchenette, arms tightly crossed as she thought about what her friend was implying. "No, nothing like that has happened, not since that one time I told you about." Of course that night had eventually been mentioned to Cana and Lucy, her bustling insecurities had led her to believing that the reason she never heard from Gajeel was because her performance was so utterly displeasing that he never wanted to experience anything intimate with her again. Over a few drinks Cana had slapped between her shoulder blades and reassured her that Gajeel wasn't worth it anyway, and Lucy had nodded eagerly and agreed that from the sounds of it Levy had done everything right if not perfectly. This made Levy feel better for the time being, but it didn't aid her in her failed attempts at finding love; she still had this nagging feeling in the back of her mind that made her believe that there was something wrong with _her_ and not the people she tried to pursue. It also didn't help that she had terribly high standards for men and that she preferred love interests with defined bodies sculpted by the God's and all the while being soft and caring, and intellectual enough to keep a well stimulating conversation with her. That was her triangle of perfection, and most of her candidates lack two or more aspects of said triangle, and she just couldn't keep herself interested with the boring men that started giving her attention at the station or during her nights out.

"Well that's no good; now your restless, easily agitated attitude makes sense now." Cana placed her hand on the counter and leaned beside Levy, who was now pouring her a cup. Having been close enough with Cana for quite some time she learned how her partner enjoyed her drink, and she stirred the right amount of sugar into her coffee. Levy's cheeks flushed at how easily Cana could read her, and what she hoped to have obtained in her two decades of existence were to be obscure, and for the most part this were the case, except for Cana who made her feel detectably transparent. Levy set her cup aside and the steam swirled in the air between them; Cana secured her hair in a half up, half down top knot and smiled cutely at Levy, who she thought looked so adorable whenever she got in one of her little heated fixes. "We should go out tonight and help you out." The innocent glisten in her eyes had grown mischievous and a shadow went over her face, "we'll get you all cute and dolled up, and then we'll find you a hottie who'll rock your world!" Cana bounced her shoulders up and down and wiggled her eyebrows, and as successful as it was in making her laugh, Levy couldn't feel more terrified. She felt as if someone had pulled the rug from underneath her, and she placed a hand over chest and blushed vividly at the idea of spontaneously hooking up with someone possibly later that night.

"No way!" Levy exclaimed, stomping on the idea with a rapid shake of her head. "I don't think I'm ready for that kind of thing tonight, really." She looked over at Cana who looked a tad bit disappointed in Levy's rejection of what she believed was a perfect idea. "That kind of thing isn't really my style anyway, the other guy," she tried not to say Gajeel's name allowed, "just happened to be there when I was going through a really rough patch in my life. That's the main reason I hooked up with him, I was vulnerable." And of course there was the side detail that he was devilishly handsome and Levy couldn't resist, but Cana didn't need to know all of that unless she wanted to give her the perfect ammo that could be used to tease her for weeks.

"Well, there goes that." Cana sighed and she tightly crossed her arms over her chest. "Still think we should have a girl's night out, anyway. You know, just because you're finally getting what you've been nagging Laxus about, right?"

Levy's eyes sparkled. "Right!" She smiled brightly now that she was more enthusiastic about the idea. "You know, now that you mention it I have been slaving over work. And there's this cute skirt that I bought a while back and I still never had the opportunity to wear it. Where did you plan on going?"

"Probably the club," Cana thought to herself. "Maybe get some food beforehand and who knows?" Cana winked at her before ruffling Levy's unruly waves. "All you have to worry about baby doll is getting all glammed up. I've already told Lucy and she said she'd love to go."

"Aww, Cana you're so sweet," Levy smiled warmly, but her face scrunched up all serious and she pouted at her, "but I'm not letting you influence me again!" She scolded; referring to the many times Cana and Erza had persuaded her with a few drinks and encouraged her on until Levy was black out drunk and waking up to the routinely morning sprinklers turning on in Fairy Hill's lawn. Golden morning sunlight breaking through the leaves, and the smell of fresh cut grass mixing in with cold water sprinkling over her and rolling down the sides of her face and cooling down her distraught hangover- those were the good days, but now she was an adult and she required more responsibility in her actions, something Cana lacked every now and then.

"Yeah, yeah, quit nagging," Cana muttered before smiling cheekily at Levy and taking the coffee mug outside the break room with her. Levy smiled as she watched her go, and now she contemplated what she going to wear. It's been a while since she's hung out with Lucy and she was very excited to catch up with her; she wondered if her innocent little blonde friend was still all that innocent, and Levy giggled with excitement as she anticipated all the juicy details she'd get to hear about Lucy's missions with the fiery Natsu. That would be an exciting conversation for later, however, and for the time being Levy adjusted her headband and got back to work.

•••

"Wow, looking pretty good, baby blue!" Cana complimented from beside her as they made their way down the sidewalk and towards the large, crowded building. The girls had just piled out from the car and were adjusting their outfits before reaching the club. Levy knew she looked good, she had spent hours trying to at least look decent, but even then she felt bashful taking the compliment so easily.

"You think so?" Levy asked shyly, and she twiddled her fingers at her friend's sweet words.

"Mmm. You sure you aren't trying to hook up with someone? Not when you're looking like _that_?" Cana teased, and she laughed when Levy pouted at her disapprovingly.

The closer they got to their destination the louder the music could be heard blaring from inside. It seemed to be a pretty popular club, settled right in between the buildings that kissed the clouds and right off the interstate, snug and tightly packed right off one of the busier roads. The line could go on for miles, and Levy sighed as she realized her choice of shoes weren't the best option for all the countless hours of standing she was going to have to endure. Just as her dreading had begun, Cana stopped right in front of the two men standing on either side of the door. One was of impressive stance, and Levy gawked as she stared up at someone nearly three times her size and her attention immediately fixated on the stitch like scar that lined the tan skin below his right eye. He kept his arms tightly crossed over his broad chest and his eyes casted an intimidating scowl. The other bouncer, who was much smaller and thinner than his partner, adjusted the glasses shielding his eyes to get a better look of the girls behind Cana, and his stare particularly fixated over Lucy. "My, my, who do we have here?" The smaller man purred in a cat like way, and Cana flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"Your favorite regular," She sneered.

"For a regular you sure are dressed up," the red headed man grinned as he pointed out the provocative outfit that was even more dashing than Cana's already revealing daily attire. She wore a beautiful laced bralette that gave little to the imagination, and jeans so distressed they were missing the entire front part of her pants legs, which allowed her to show off her long, toned legs. Really the only part covered on Cana were her breasts and buttocks but everything else was for everyone's eyes to feast on, and truth be told her outfit made Levy look like she were getting ready to relive the night of her dreadful eighth grade dance. Cana smirked and held her chin up as she took it as a compliment, and she shot a seductive pose at the two bouncers, which gained her many whistles from the men in the restless line wrapping outside the building.

"Special occasion with the girls," she didn't further explain, and she shot a glare at the long line that protested at her jumping ahead. With the crowd burning lasers with their displeased glares, Levy and Lucy ducked their heads down and quickly followed after their bold friend. Sadly, their accelerated move on was in vain when the two security guards squared their shoulders and glared downward at the two of them for the time being, and an uncertain feeling bubbled around in Levy's stomach and she anticipated what would happen next.

"I'm sorry to hold you back; it's very rude of me." The thinner man adjusted his glasses as he leaned in towards Lucy, who in return leaned closer to Levy as she tried to place some distance between her and the man. "But do I know you from somewhere? Could I get your name, ma'am? Why, you're absolutely beautiful." His eyes narrowed and God knows what that look could have meant, it gave both the girls the creeps, but his seductive look turned into a strong wince as he rubbed the back of his neck, sore and throbbing from the hand that landed against it roughly with a slap. "Cana, what is wrong with you?" The now flustered red head asked.

"Sorry Loke, princess over here is already taken," she winked over at Lucy who now flushed red at what Cana could be referring to. Just as Cana snatched her wrist and dragged her towards the entrance, Lucy began rambling in a flustered manner, questioning Cana as to who she could be talking about. _It's not Natsu you're talking about, is it? Because it's totally not like that, really-!_

Levy smiled in second hand embarrassment for her friend. Now that the hard part was out of the way she could finally brace herself for the loud music and pass on through, or so she thought; Levy didn't get far before her nose smacked into what felt like a brick wall. She looked up to see the larger guard give her a deep glower.

"Wipe the look off, Elfman, they're with me." Cana gave him a stern look as she motioned towards Lucy and Levy.

"Forgive me, Cana, but it is my duty as a _man_ to make sure those who enter this building fill all the appropriate requirements," his voice was strong and it shook the ground beneath them, and as Levy flinched Cana face palmed. He pointed at Levy accusingly, and she felt her face heat up when she pushed under the spotlight like so. "Young miss, please show me your ID!" He ordered, and Levy felt embarrassed as her two friends giggled together. Why was she so surprised? It was normal for everyone to assume she was a teenager still, it wasn't just her short height but in fact what Gajeel had said about her looking innocent was true, and she grumbled to herself as she fumbled around for her wallet and then her I.D. For once she thought she looked mature enough to get past the front doors- her outfit was pretty revealing for once, but like most movie theatres and public bars Levy was carded.

Now inside the large building, Levy gasped as she saw the lay out of it all. A large peculiar shaped glass statue was the one center of the floor, and surrounding it were lush, pure white cushioned seats wrapping around what resembled coffee tables. The statue changed colors with the night clubs themed light, and as it went through its rainbow it shocked her as a curtain of water fell from either side of it. Cana was already heading towards the right, where the large bar was of course, and closer to the back of the room was the vast crowd surrounding the DJ. Above the crowd was the second floor, and here another ring of people wrapped around the large stage. The rapid, flickering lights gave her a migraine, and she followed reluctantly after her friends and she rubbed her temples. Cana situated herself on a bar stool and greeted the other baristas who of course knew her on a regular basis. Levy hoisted herself up beside her two friends, and she took a glance at the drink menu hoping to find something out of Cana's level of quality that wouldn't absolutely kill her in the morning.

"Wow, Cana! I love the new look!" A pure, sweet voice came from over the counter and it was so loud in the night club that the feminine voice was almost drowned out by the music. "And you brought yourself some friends! Aww, aren't they so cute!"

Levy glanced up when she was mentioned and saw a beautiful, pale woman leaning towards them from the other side of the bar. The curvy beauty sported white hair that reached towards the small of her back in a thick curtain of waves. A fraction of her bangs were tied out of her face to show off her beautiful, iced blue eyes and her full and rosy lips were almost permanently curved into a sweet and welcoming smile. She balanced a tray of shots in the palm of one hand, all the while simultaneously whipping up something stronger for Cana's liking. The woman caught Levy looking and she grinned even brighter, "can I get you girls anything?"

"I guess the gimlet," Levy ignored the cheeky grin bearing into her from Cana. "But that'll be it, nothing else after that," she ordered, but mostly towards Cana rather than the barista she was speaking to.

"Not a problem, doll," the woman chirped. "I'm Mirajane by the way; please don't be shy to ask me anything!"

"Levy," Levy smiled warmly, "it's very nice to meet you."

Mira then introduced herself to Lucy, and somehow the two already knew each other through Natsu. The two girls got lost in conversation and only momentarily took a break when Mira pushed over the gin and lime wedge towards Levy. She swirled the drink around in her hand and watched the wedge bob up and down, and as much as she hated to admit it, her depressive mood wrapped around her shoulders like a weighted blanket. She tried to push the thoughts aside, she didn't want to ruin the night Cana planned for her, but there was so many things going through her mind. Jet rudely and inconsiderately kissing her _in front of everyone_ while she was on the job, and then there was Laxus who was becoming a little less of a migraine but still settling down to be a headache, and then there was Gajeel. Her cheeks warmed up just thinking back to him, and she grew angry that she allowed herself to be consumed by him; in impulse she shot the drink back, tilting her face to the high ceilings and slamming the glass on the bar's counter.

"Wow that was great, give me five more!" Levy cried out over the loud music. Cana burst into laughter, and proudly she wrapped an arm around Levy's neck and cheered with her own glass in the air.

"Wow, that didn't take long," Lucy sighed as she rested her chin in the palm of her hands and shared a giggle with Mira and the both of them watched Cana jump around in her bar stool enthusiastically with Levy.

"That's my blue, everything's on me!" Cana cried out, and Mira sighed before curling into another smile and fixing up the gin for the small girl.

"Not so bad for a night out," Cana grinned at the two girls. Levy and Lucy were already defeated from the night out as they held their heels and took on the cold sidewalk bare foot. They did do a lot of dancing, and it felt nice to finally step out of the torture devices that made Levy the same height as everyone else. "It's still sad we didn't find any cute guys. The one shirtless dude was totally checking you out, and his face wasn't too shabby, neither. You shoulda went for it, blue." Cana stretched her arms behind her head and bent her elbows on either side. She sighed when Levy didn't respond, and caught her quiet friend sulking and staring endless at the sidewalk in front of them. She had such a weight on her shoulders nowadays, lovesick girl. Cana sighed, "ya really don't know what a catch you are, huh Lev?"

"D-don't be silly!" Levy waved her friend off. It's not that she thought she were bad looking, Levy's self-esteem wasn't _that_ crippling, it's just that she didn't think she was as good as the other girls. It was hard when all of your friends looked like models and pulled guys in wherever they went; Levy felt like she couldn't keep up sometimes. Also, she didn't have much to offer. Her idea of an ideal date was grabbing coffee and going to bookstores, and none of the guys she dated ever lasted through one of her conversations, they weren't interested in the stories that consumed her life, they weren't concerned with anything apart from the possibilities that were set out if they nodded along to her rambling long enough. She was easy on the eyes, but she wanted more than that. She wanted more than sex, she wanted...

It was a silly idea to even think of. Love doesn't exist, she concluded, and she wished she had drank a little bit more, anything that could get rid of the bitter aftertaste of her protruding thoughts. Levy stopped shortly when she walked into Cana, and the two girls looked up at the slender brunette when her eyes sparkled with an idea. "The night is still young, aint it? I know the perfect place to take our heart broken Levy!"

"Really? It's so late out, wouldn't everything be closed?" Lucy asked curiously, and she glanced over at Levy with the same confused look that they were both sharing. "It's nearly two a.m," Lucy added.

"You guys are such babies," Cana groaned as she took a sharp right turn down the crosswalk and away from the straight route that would have guided them straight to Lucy's apartment. "Just trust me, will ya? Do it for Levy, the girls been moping around all night!"

Levy tapped her fingers together nervously as the spotlight heated her skin. "Y-you saw that?"

"Give me a break, blue." Cana smirked. "You couldn't fix that sad look even if your life depended on it. C'mon, this place will be fun, and if you don't enjoy it at least it'll give you a good ol' laugh!" The brunette laughed heartedly as she led the way, and her laughter sliced through the silent night air around them. Levy shot a glance at Lucy and the two girls shrugged and shared a small giggle, but their laughter came to a drastic halt as their twenty minute walk stopped them in front of the excessively lit up store. With pink painted walls and bright pink lights lining the exterior, and the large XX in bright red, the girls' skin illuminated a pinkish-red hue as they stared up at the large sign completely dumbfounded.

"C-Cana, y-you can't be serious!" Lucy squealed, and her blush camouflaged with her already illuminated-pink skin.

Levy gulped, "we're not actually going in here, are we? It's just a joke, right?"

"What are you losers getting so worked up about?" Cana places her hands on her hips and gave them a stern look. "Are you telling me you two have never been in a sex shop before?"

Lucy looked sideways, "I-I mean, the opportunity never arose," Lucy coughed into the back of her hand. "Well, I had to go in once to arrest someone, but I didn't actually shop inside."

At the same time Lucy was speaking, Levy defensively talked over her simultaneously, "— I was never interested in the past, and besides I never had a reason to go in!" Levy was blushing frivolously and she felt like a child for making it such a big deal. This was so embarrassing to her, what if she ran into someone she knew? How would she explain herself?

"Don't worry; it's the best shop in town so you know it's good! C'mon, it's cold out here." Cana stepped forward and climbed the steps of the pink building while her friends stayed behind twiddling their thumbs. Levy squared her shoulders and balled her fists; if this were nothing to Cana then it wasn't anything to her, neither. She pushed passed Lucy who protested and climbed the steps, and as she swung the door open her face flushed all sorts of color at the vibrant displays around her. Past the glass display of pipes and hookahs, Levy spotted Cana's half up bun bobbing around racks of God knows what. Levy blushed as she made eye contact with the store owner who gave her an extra harsh look, but luckily the woman behind the counter didn't look enthusiastic enough about her job to ask Levy for her I.D.

"Oh, this is way better than the one I had to go to last month," Lucy smiled in relief as she looked around and the transitioning lights changed the rooms color scheme the same way the fountain did at Fairy Tail. "Last place I went to had a lot of creepy old men, so in comparison this is pretty nice!"

Levy watched in shock as the once blushing Lucy shook her fear off and walked casually inside, and Levy couldn't help but think Lucy looked so out of place in a shop that was so _dirty._ Levy kept her face down as she passed the large shelves of pornographic DVDs, all with very revealing covers to show the main point of each horrible video. She found Cana in the back left corner of the store, under a fluorescent light and staring intently at the sex toys lining the walls. "We should get one for Levy, you know, since she's so hung up and frustrated." She stuck her tongue out as she shook a small box with a back bunny on it at Levy, and Levy's cheeks couldn't have burned brighter.

"You're joking, r-right?" She asked Cana. She sighed as she crossed her arms and stood there still, she couldn't believe places like these existed, and what's worst was that Cana of all people had managed to drag her into one— A loud moan poured out of Levy as a sharp sting hit her back side, and she quickly slapped her hands against her lips to stop the cry out and stared at Cana with a mortified, wide eyed look. Her two friends couldn't have laughed harder, and Levy's eyes narrowed into a thoroughly pissed off grimace as she turned around to see Lucy messing around with a large whip she had found on a nearby rack. "Lucy, you're so childish!" Levy cried out as she rubbed her backside, "that freakin' hurt!"

"I'm sorry," Lucy choked on laughter, "I couldn't help myself, and I was too scared to test it out on Cana."

"Smart girl," Cana laughed. "Hey Lucy, a whip matches you! You should totally buy it and go for that dominatrix look."

Lucy laughed some more, "Cana you're horrible, but it does make me feel kind of sexy!" Her laughter had carried through the store, and Levy groaned as she realized Lucy's cheeks were flushed because she was drunk and not because she was embarrassed to be in the store. She twirled around with whip and aimed it at Cana, and Levy backed away as her friends continued to make a scene.

Levy sighed as she looked behind both her shoulders. Luckily no one seemed to be in this section with them, that moan was so embarrassing. She looked down at the box that was shoved into her hands, and the small vibrating wand listed bullet points of all the pros that came with the travel size product, all ranging from different setting to the privacy aspect of how silent the handheld machine was. Levy felt like a pervert even reading it, and she blushed more when Cana peered over her shoulder. "Hmm, interested in it?" She asked.

Levy scoffed and placed the wand back in its respected spot. "No way, I'd never use something like that!" Levy babbled as she pushed it aside and shook her head just thinking about it. "That's so out of my comfort zone, u-um maybe there are books or something we could test out?" Levy smiled hopefully and practically begged Cana with her eyes.

"Books, Huh?" Cana crosses her arms as she thought about it. "Yeah I'm sure there's a book section somewhere here, the store is huge. And I guess if that's what makes you happy." Cana winked at her friend, "dirty girl."

Levy pouted, "How am I dirty? You're the one who dragged us in here!" She then turned to Lucy who was still whipping things within a four foot distance. "Are you actually gonna buy something from here, Lu? Not that I'm judging or anything."

"I really don't have a need for anything. It's not like I'm seeing anyone," Lucy shrugged shyly, but her eyes did glaze over as she thought of someone as she said this. Levy sighed when she realized Lucy was even more helpless than she was, and she followed Cana towards a section of the store that was more of her taste. Maybe a dirty book wouldn't hurt; it wasn't very different than her favorite novels and their occasional dirty sex scenes. The store's book section was small, and it ranged from naughty titles such as _356 positions_ and _The art of Sex_ , and Levy chuckled at the cheesy titles. She tried to take Cana's advice and not take the store too serious, and apart from all the weird devices and assortments that Levy didn't know existed, she was slightly intrigued by the more innocent of the products. She pulled a book off the shelf, did a quick skim through of the back and a few chapters, and then closed it quickly and hunched her shoulders. "Wow, this was so much funny Cana! We can totally check out now!" She relaxed her shoulders when she realized she was ignored and turned around in horror to find Cana chasing Lucy with a large leather paddle, and to her embarrassment both girls were laughing terribly loud. Of course, she did have to keep in mind that they were both a little tipsy, and she hoped that the already seemingly annoyed cashier wouldn't kick them out for being so immature.

Levy handed the jewels towards the cashier as she made her purchase. One thick book of sexual positions that she'd never recreate should be enough for Cana's approval. Sure she'd do a little research and switch it up, but for all she was concerned the book would collect cobwebs for the most part of its pitiful existence. She also couldn't believe she spent a good 2,000J on such a dirty book. Luckily there was some plot to the story, and she was interested in the idea of the main character- a bookworm quite like herself -who had been targeted by one of a dangerous man's hitmen, and the two opposing characters fall in love! To be honest she was very excited to read the novel, and she was relieved that some good came out of such a filthy destination. As she took the neon pink bag and walked out with her friends, who didn't buy except for a few bedroom necessities as Cana called them, Levy was having a rather cheery end of the night.

"Why am I not surprised she managed to find a book of all things?" Cana asked Lucy who shared a laugh with her, but Levy held her chin high as she was ready to settled into the corner chair at home and spend the rest of the creeping hours of the morning reading to her hearts contempt.

"Make fun of me all you want, it's not my fault I'm not a huge pervert like you two." She arched a brow at Lucy who looked away quickly to hide her glowing face, but Cana of course was not affected by the confrontation.

"Don't be silly, we love you for you," she flashed a strip of white teeth at Levy in one of her bright smiles, and like a contagious reaction Levy was smiling in return a mile a minute. "And by the way, I got you a little something since you did mention you've been having troubles," Cana held up another vibrant pink bag to much of Levy's surprise.

"Cana, you really shouldn't have," Levy mumbled nervously hoping it wasn't something she would never use, and she didn't know which would be worse, telling Cana she absolutely hated it or lying about being a pervert who enjoys it.

"Don't worry, it's not that serious," Cana reassured when she picked up on Levy's anxious vibes.

Lucy popped her head into the conversation, "Yeah, I approved of it!" But the hand covering her snickering showed that she found it funnier than anything, and that made Levy more worried as to what the so called gift could be.

Levy accepted the bag and sighed as she reached inside. "You guys are literally horrible," she said as she stifled her own laugh, and within the bag she retrieved a black box with white writing. Across the top was _XXsensations_ , which featured a model with a lovely body and sporting only a pair of Lacey, black panties. Levy was more surprised that Jenny- also known as miss Fiore -would so willingly model for such a daring product; Magnolia never stopped surprising her. If the popular model was on the package, perhaps maybe it was something she could trust. Levy reread the title and she blinked for a second as she registered what it could have been, and then as Cana and Lucy erupted in laughter Levy pinched the bridge of her nose. "Vibrating panties, _really_? What a joke. I don't think I'd ever use this Cana, we should return it!"

"No returns at those kinda shops, Lev." Cana's eyebrows furrowed, "Hey, that joke cost as much as your little dirty book," Cana defended. "At least this one will make you cum!"

"Cana, please stop screaming that in public!" Levy squealed as she jumped onto her friend, and the girls laughed more as they continued walking towards Lucy's apartment. Cana had left her car at Lucy's and the two girls hopped in once Lucy's apartment door closed behind her. For the most part the ride home was silent, and Levy felt obligated to speak up after being somewhat of a party pooper for the majority of the night. "I had a lot of fun, Cana. Thank you for taking me out," she reassured, knowing that out of everyone Cana had been the one most worried about Levy's lack of enthusiasm towards the night.

"It's no problem," Cana grinned as she kept her eyes on the road. "Y'know I care about you. You're like a little sister to me, Lev."

"I'm lucky," Levy smiled. She wanted to say more, but Cana had already pulled up to her apartment, and even then Levy wasn't sure she'd know what to say. Levy took a deep breath before collecting her things. "I'll see you in the morning?"

"Bright and early, sunshine; we have a big day ahead, remember?" Cana winked.

Levy grinned, "we sure do!" She adjusted her bag over her shoulder and collected the sinful pink bags, and Levy was ready to close the door behind her when Cana stopped her shortly.

"Hey, Lev?" Her friend's voice followed her out the window; Levy stopped in her tracks to glance over at her. Cana leaned towards the steering wheel to get a better look of her friend, and Levy couldn't help but notice how exhausted she'd suddenly looked, and of course they had been out all night but there was something emotional about the tired way Cana watched her. Cana spoke up then, "you know you can tell me anything, right? You can tell Lucy too, if you're ever in trouble we're here for you." Her grip on the wheel tightened as she considered her words thoughtfully. "Whatever it is you're going through, you don't always have to keep it to yourself. I know it's more than just sex that's bothering you, Lev."

Levy's heart dropped to her stomach when Cana admitted she was on to her. Yes, she had been in a rather awful mood for the past couple of months, given the break up with Laxus and the whole Jet and Droy thing, but she still managed to put on a smile for the sake her friends. Cana of course was the exception, and Lucy could easily see it too, but deep down Levy had hoped the two girls weren't as observant as she feared they were. Levy felt like she had somehow let them down, and she tucked her face downward and held back tears that she refused to release. "I'm sorry for worrying you, Cana. I'm okay though, really."

"Of course you are," Cana agreed and disagreed at the same time. She flashed a half smile at Levy and leaned back in her seat. "I was just letting you know."

Levy smiled brightly, "It's appreciated. Please be safe, Cana. Goodnight."

Cana watched her walk up the steps. "Sweet dreams, baby blue."

 **A/N:** OH HONHONHON (is that a good description of a suspicious French laugh?) yes we definitely know what's going to happen with Cana's gift. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Thank you guys for reading and I'm sorry for the long awaited update. I've been sick as a dog! And I also started a new job, so yeah, life is crazy! I'm excited to get back to writing, so please follow, review, and stay tuned!

 **Up next:** A heart broken, crime-fighting Levy stumbles into Gajeel's life at the oddest of times. An admirable barista is on the headmaster of crime's hit list, and Laxus' risky request leaves both Levy and her partner in a life threatening and anticipating predicament.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: So I truly believed I could balance two jobs and be a full time student all whilst writing this story and I was wrong, so very,** _ **very**_ **wrong. I'm truly sorry for the long wait between updates ): hopefully this chapter makes up for it!**

 **Chapter 4.**

 **"The name's Jellal Fernandez,"** Gajeel started off as he slapped a folder onto Ivan's desk. The action enough showed just how close the two have gotten over the course of nearly half a year. Ivan smirked up at Gajeel, and that smirk was something that Gajeel learned could mean an abundance of things. In most cases, a smirk meant that he was impressed, and the tilted corner of his lip meant that Gajeel had done a job well done. Ivan peeled open the folder to reveal a close up photo of the said man; his serious features gave him an emotionless expression as his lips pressed into a firm line and his eyes narrowed into the camera. A black, distinctive mark stroked down one side of the man's face and royal blue hair stuck out in all directions with feathered bangs brushing over the man's eyes. Ivan puffed his cigar as he studied the mark running down the man in the photograph's face, as if to memorize it in case they'd miraculously cross paths in the street or something. "The report on the CIA member ya wanted," Gajeel reminded, given that stalking down Jellal had been more difficult than all the other faces Ivan had been so interested in. "Everythin' ya wanna know about him is in that folder."

"Hm, so this is the scheming face that's been causing me such troubles," Ivan purred as he overlooked the paperwork given to him. "My, my, what an eyesore; to think the CIA has even gotten into the picture, we have certainly become quite the popular story! And all of these nosy little bastards just can't wait to have a peek." His eyes narrowed and his fingers clenched around the papers enough to crumple them; Gajeel averted his attention and gave his boss his privacy as he underwent another calculated, quiet tantrum. Gajeel lounged against the back wall and lit himself a cigarette, something he hardly ever did unless he was eminently stressed out, and given everything he had to do for Ivan this week he was surprised he hadn't already stroked out. Ivan had been very tightly wound for the past couple weeks ever since the CIA got involved, and this meant that the shipments of girls coming in and out of Magnolia, also known as the capital for the trafficking world, had gotten serious attention. There were shipments being tracked in other countries, and this is where the CIA became involved, but more specifically the advanced sub unit of the bunch, Crime Sorciere. The next faces on Ivan's list were Meredy and Ultear, and Gajeel took especially long gathering information on the female members of Jellal's sub unit given the leader of sex trafficking was requesting it.

"You must know about his whereabouts, do you not?" Ivan asked Gajeel with a stern look, and Gajeel took a long drag from his cigarette before rudely tapping the access onto the man's carpet. "Jellal's outta the country, rat-bastard booked a flight a week ago and ain't been heard of since." He reached for his drink that was still perched on the shelf where he left it when he was first offered, and noticing he had tested Ivan's patience enough he went ahead and downed it. The drink felt good as it ran through Gajeel's chest and burned every inch of it, similar to the way a fire would claim a forest. That usually comforting flame scorched him in the discomforting vibe given off from Ivan, and it infuriated Gajeel more than it frustrated him that he could be so antsy around such a cowardly bastard. It wasn't the man that Gajeel was terrified of, it was the power. Ivan held the city in the palm of his hands, without raising a hand he could kill anyone who came across him, and Gajeel had witnessed him doing so tens of times. The harder Gajeel tried to keep people out of his life and away from harm's way the more they would pop in like daisies. Lily was the prime example; he knew the ropes and the dangers of Gajeel's profession, he was right there next to him, but Lily shouldn't have to be involved with Ivan if he could help it. Then there was Shorty. _Shorty,_ Gajeel found himself repeating her nickname in his mind, and originally the nickname had been associated with that easily spotted blue hair. Such a common hair color around these streets had never looked so unique, and he recollected on the morning after when she hadn't been stirred by him sitting up in bed. Her eyelids flinched slightly but nothing more.

He remembered the way she had looked so peaceful, different than the sad look she had stuck on her face like a rash she was trying to hide, which only made it stick out worse. In the morning sunlight hues of purple could be seen in the undertone color of her hair, and when he ran his fingers through it the waves had stretched out, coursing through the cracks of his hands with the softest touch. Before, he'd think of the color of hair, a stupid thing to associate her name with but it's what primarily caught his attention. Now, however, whenever her nickname came to mind or Lily mentioned it knowing damn well he shouldn't have, Gajeel could only match the name with her smile. After he was asked to spend the night and he started dressing down all over again, when he pulled off his shirt for the second time that night she had revealed a beautiful smile waiting for him behind the fabric of his shirt. It contrasted sharply to the pitiful look she sported as she practically collapsed out of the back door of the party, and he remembered tracing the small details of her face knowing well he most likely wouldn't see it again.

Everything was starting to remind him of her. Poor in comparison to the beautiful girl, he looked down at his strong drink; the light liquid reminded him of her eyes, though they were far richer in color. He twirled the small glass in hand and swished the liquor around. Something ached in his chest, something longing. "Gajeel, are you listening?"

"For the most part," Gajeel huffed. "Listen, the CIA ain't yer problem right now. Damn idiots don't even know where to start with this case. Yer main problem should be Laxus." Gajeel's eyes flickered upward to his boss to show him he was serious, as well as he needed to shift Ivan's attention on the police unit rather than Crime Sorciere who were already debunking the trafficking shipping between Magnolia and Alvarez.

"Right, right—you're right, Gajeel." Ivan propped his thumb under his chin has he considered the layout of his plans. "Oh, I know I should stop running around in circles and just send someone to assassinate the damn boy already, but where would the fun in that be? Surely you understand where I'm coming from, don't you? It would be too easy." He chuckled to himself, not catching the way Gajeel stiffened at how easily Ivan could consider murdering his own son. Gajeel was the king of masking his emotions, a skill he had perfected over the course of many harsh years, but the stiffening of his shoulders was still there despite how subtle it had been. Ivan leaned back and crossed his legs, and he twirled his cigar around as he smiled to himself. "Or maybe I'm still too attached to Laxus, my sweet and only son. I'm not sure nowadays. Parenting is quite the task; tell me Gajeel, do you plan on having children?"

"I aint thinkin' that kinda stuff, sir," Gajeel replied grimly with another drag of his cigarette. _Children?_ He could barely take care of himself, let alone a bunch of bratty kids. "I don't fantasize the future," he added equally as grimly, and he glowered at the drink in his hand. Perhaps Levy could be the exception, but only slightly. He pushed the thought of her away and downed his disinterest in the whole topic. It was stupid and a waste of time to spend hours on end imagining what would never happen. He didn't have a future, _especially_ not in Magnolia of all damn places. He was lucky enough he even had the present, the _now_ given how many damn near death experiences he's encountered. Besides, the future was a stupid thing to waste time on, it's not like you could control it, it was preplanned and everything was said and done. That's what Gajeel believed and went by, at least, and that was as good as it was going to get for him. If the future didn't come, he didn't care.

"You never know that, Gajeel. I was a young, indecisive man at one point too. And then you stumble upon a breath taking beauty that shapes and forms you into a big fat wuss, and next thing you know you're married and you don't know anything in this world stronger than the love you have for your child." Ivan sighed as memories flooded him, and he looked at the empty corner of his desk where most likely a family photo once lied. "Oh love, it can be such a crippling disadvantage, it makes us so vulnerable." Ivan leaned back in his chair, satisfied with his own past experience and knowledge. Gajeel remained by the door, glass finished and hands shoved deeply in his pockets. He kept his focus set outside the window, and he trained his eyes past the sky scrapers and focused on the faded tree line and mountains in the distance. There's nothing he could add to this conversation; Gajeel wasn't big on the word love. Not too many good past experiences for him to pick up on, and a few relationships in his youth never lasted long, kisses and sex and empty emotions that were always one sided, mostly not on his side. He wasn't good at love, wouldn't have a clue where to start, but he did think of it once in a while. Sometimes. Love did leave one vulnerable, and he wasn't sure if he was ready for that kind of pain; he remembered the way Levy had looked so broken and loss, if that was the ending point no matter what path you took with the other person then what was the point? Fragments of his parents filled his mind, the short few memories he had before his mother passed and his Dad never turned back and kept his face forward as he left the door with no explanation, no destination, and no apology. They had locked eyes in Gajeel's faded memory, and his mother's green eyes had crinkled and a faint smile stretched over her lips, and he was sure that was as close to the emotion as he'd ever associate with. The memory made him feel warmth, but in the end that was all it was, a distant memory. He suddenly grew very bitter, and Ivan had picked up on the change in mood.

"You're dismissed, Gajeel." Ivan finished his cigar and twisted the end of it against a glass. "Good work."

…

 **On the other side of Magnolia,** an energetic and optimistic bluenette was eager to start her day. Levy jumped around excitedly as shetore havoc through her small, city apartment. She had gotten up bright and early, showered promptly and expertly brushed her messy, bedhead curls into her usual pulled back hairstyle and sported her more professional hairband. She secured the black headband around her hair and adjusted it accordingly, humming to herself and smiling back at her reflection as she tied the band into a bow. Today was her first day away from parking duty and speeding violations, and she couldn't have been antsier to start her morning. It was almost impossible to go to sleep the night before, and she had to depend on the strength of over-the-counter sleeping medicine to knock her out of her jittery excitement. She had gotten ready at an impressively fast pace and arrived at the station considerably early. Cana didn't show up for the next forty five minutes, and when she passed through the doors and found Levy already holding a coffee for her she sighed.

"Someone sure looks ready to fight crime," Cana mumbled unenthusiastically as sleep still weighed down her shoulders and caused her to drag herself through the department rather than walk. She stifled a yawn into the palm of her hand and gratefully accepted the coffee Levy prepared for her twenty minutes before she arrived. "Aren't you exhausted? Do you know what time we got home last night?"

"I'm too excited to be exhausted!" Levy cheered as she jumped up and down. "Oh my gosh, this is so crazy! I'm actually doing something cool today!" She giggled as her joy was overwhelming, and Cana tried to share the same animated attitude as her friend, but it simply took far too much energy for her to join in. She did however smile softly at Levy's happiness and ruffled her blue bed-hair messily.

"Yeah, yeah, don't hurt yourself Lev, your cheeks will get stuck like that if ya don't take a break from smiling," Cana pinched one of the apples of Levy's rosy cheeks. Cana pulled her hair back into her usual hairstyle and gently pushed Levy aside. She used her thumb to point behind her shoulder at Laxus's office. "I'm going to report to grumpy over here and we'll be on our way."

"Roger that," Levy chirped, and from the corner of her eyes she spotted Lucy and Natsu looking over the call board. She wanted to share with them how excited she was, but their furrowed brows indicated that they must have been busy. When she eavesdropped a little, she learned that they were actually arguing and had no room for her to butt in with her own exciting news. They were supposed to be looking at cases to pick up on, but from the looks of it they were arguing at something most likely irrelevant to their jobs. Those two really hit it off, and it was painfully obvious that something was bubbling between the pink haired man and the babbling blonde—painfully obvious to everyone who wasn't them, at least. The scene made her smile, and she thought back to Lucy's first job and how much she had to say by the end of her shift. Levy awaited the moment she got to tell Lucy everything about today, she knew she'd love to hear it, but that would have to wait. Levy waited patiently by the doubled doors until Cana came back with a light folder held up between her index and middle finger.

"Everything you could ever possibly want to know, blue-belle." Cana handed her the folder and walked towards the door. Levy's eyes lit up and she immediately skimmed through the document as they made their way down the hall, and knowing Levy would be far too consumed in the short story to listen to anything she said, Cana went ahead and explained all that she knew. "So originally there was a call about another missing girl," Cana started.

"That would be the second one this week," Levy gulped as her eyes took in every detail of the young teenager's face, making it a total of twelve girls yet again, given one was found last week. Unfortunately she wasn't alive when they found her, but Levy didn't know much of the details. "Wendy Marvell," Levy read aloud, her index finger sliding over the girl's smiling photograph. "This is crazy; she can't be older than fourteen."

Cana shrugged and thought nothing of it. With girls missing left and right there wasn't much they could do about it; it wasn't just Magnolia that was going through this abduction crisis; all of Fiore was skyrocketing with missing cases. "It's a cruel world, and with a little innocent face like that I wouldn't be surprised if she wounded up dead two days from now." Cana noticed the way Levy stiffened up beside her and cut to the point. "Listen, a crew is already investigating possible scenes, and there's been a few witnesses that have apparently spotted the girl around. The first two calls were mistakes, she has common features—dark hair, dark eyes – she can easily be mistaken. Lucky enough for us, we've been sent out on the next call, but the person who called us up said they're almost certain she's the doll from the photos. Most likely another dead end, the girl's going for a good amount of jewels right about now. Anyone would call in if there's a chance at that kinda money." This was a good thing in Cana's eyes; Levy could learn the ropes without having to actually do anything.

"Wh-what if this is really the one? What if it's like the saying goes- third times the charm?" Levy asked nervously as she tried to read the details in the folder whilst keep up with Cana's fast paced walking.

"Listen sweetheart, if your fan-favorite Laxus thought it was a good idea to put _you_ on this call, we're probably going to be sitting back and doing nothing today. Consider it a day off if you will." Cana sighed when she watched Levy's excitement crumple into smithereens. She pulled on Levy's cheek and clicked her tongue. "Tch, I didn't mean it like that, don't look so down you brat. You're helping everyone out going on this call today. Not every mission is going to be intense, alright? You shouldn't hope for action like that, anyway. It's bad energy."

"You're right, I'm sorry." Levy tucked the folder under her arm and followed Cana to the parking garage where their ride awaited. She wished Cana's words hadn't crashed her parade like they had. What she had feared was right; Laxus wouldn't ever send her on a potentially dangerous mission, meaning today may not be as exciting as she hoped it would be. She tried to not let the disappointment show on her face, and before anything else was said, Cana was tearing out of the parking garage at full speed.

…..

" **This is our stop,"** Cana pulled a few blocks away from a rundown building just south of the Magnolian River. No surprise that it was situated in a rather poor part of town, and nothing seemed to regulate the violated traffic down here more than a police car. No one dared look them in the eye too long, unless they were shooting over a challenging stare. She felt anxious in a neighborhood with so many suspicious looking people, but that wasn't her problem right now. Levy's hand subconsciously reached for her gun tucked away at her hip, and her eyes narrowed as she mentally prepared for the job ahead.

"What's the game plan, Cana? We're not just gonna stand here, are we?" Levy's eyes begged Cana for what she wanted to hear which was action and fighting crime.

Cana sighed, "No one's got time to sit around, Lev, but we can't just leap out and show ourselves so easily. Besides, it's most likely another dead end, I mean, what are the chances someone would spot Wendy out here this damn easy? Something about it doesn't feel right. For all we know it could be a damn trap inside there waiting for us." Cana leaned forward and pinched her chin with her thumb and pointer finger. She peered upward as far as the windshield restricted her as she counted the many floors of the destructed building. "It would be the third time someone called us up about the girl, which hardly ever happens in such a short amount of time. What are they doin smuggling her around in broad daylight for, anyway? Tell me short-stuff; doesn't it all just sound a little odd?"

"Now that you mention it…" Levy's heart began pounding even faster now.

Cana smirked as a light flickered in her eyes, "Well if I'll be damned; there are our guys." Cana leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest just as a large, black vehicle pulled into the lot of the old, concrete apartment. They weren't too close to be spotted, and Cana held up some binoculars as she focused in on what seemed to be two men making a trade.

"What are they doing?" Levy asked as she strained to see what was going on.

"Beats me, but whatever it is it can't be good. If we don't find our girl in there, I'm sure we'll have a handful just dealing with these bastards."

"Wh-what do we do now?" Levy asked worriedly.

"We wait," Cana responded as she lowered her binoculars, and she didn't go further into detail. She didn't like the looks of this, and she definitely didn't want to start a shootout in the middle of the road, not with so many guys and Levy next to her. It wouldn't be long, and she sent Levy reassuring smile.

 **Levy took a deep breath in** and shook her head. As far as she was concerned Cana was the captain of the ship and clearly more experienced in this field than she was. It wasn't just the age gap that made Levy believe that Cana was more knowledgeable; there was a shadow that casted over Cana's usually lit up eyes, a darkness that indicated the perky woman had seen too much in her short life time, things that she probably wouldn't choose to tell Levy over a few drinks any time soon. Levy knew as much as Cana's "daddy issues" as some would call them, but there was more to the serious glower Cana could be found simmering in while she was on the job. Levy's profound curiosity usually got her into trouble, but she knew better than to pry into Cana's business; all she could hope for was that she wouldn't find herself in the same bitter state, living with a constant hint to her eyes that she had been scarred and seen things she shouldn't have seen. When Cana grew quiet and her body stilled to a stiffened arch of her back and hunched shoulders, Levy wondered what worries fueled her friend and crashed through her mind like disturbed waves. They could be in great danger, Levy noted, and her palms sweated slightly as she was so out of her norm, so far away from parking tickets and helping the elderly across the street. The gun on her waist felt heavier, more necessary and useful rather than a handy accessory that reminded her she was officially a cop whenever she accidentally bumped it into her car door.

The two of them sat back until the black vehicle pulled out of the parking lot, with the same amount of people that it had originally came with, and disappeared down a minefield of pot holes. There wasn't a cue word or an agreement, together they both silently left their vehicle and crossed the street to the sidewalk that would eventually lead them to the debris of the building. The heat was unbearable today, far warmer than the light Spring breeze they've been picking up lately, and the scorching sunlight made Levy feel sticky under her clothes; however, the perspiration could have been from her distraught nerves as she silently panicked. She fixed her breathing which had deepened heavily and loudly, and she gulped as she squared her shoulders and intimidated the nonchalant Cana who strode into danger with an anything but bothered expression. Levy could hear her heartbeat in her temples as Cana slowly made her way through the rubble of the outlining premises of the outdated building. The door had crumbled down and the inside of the lot had tons of destruction that left it unprotected from the elements. A few sleeping bags, worn out shoes and other artifacts from previous homeless people that used the lot for shelter were left behind on the concrete floor.

"Looks like the lot could collapse at any second," Cana muttered to herself. "Ya think they'd bulldoze the damn place already." She pushed towards the stairs as Levy constantly kept circling around and watching their backs. She held her gun up and ready, but she couldn't get over the thick tremble that shook her entire body. Despite being in the city the building was silent, and all that could be heard were their shoes crunching over dirty, broken glass and a water leak somewhere deeper in the structure. The air was stuffier and made her feel more closed up and cramped; if she didn't calm her nerves her panting would make her feel both light headed and suffocated. Levy regulated her breathing as she followed Cana up the stairs and together they glanced around the second floor before stepping foot. From Levy's corner all she found was a long corridor with broken windows and molded carpet. Cana's side ended up in a dead end, so all that there was left to do were search the rooms.

"For the most part the building seems empty, but keeps a look out. We should split up from here, check the closets, and tell me if you find anything suspicious. Got it?" Cana asked, and she gave Levy a long stare before the bluenette snapped out of her trance and nodded urgently towards her partner. Splitting up was the last thing Levy wanted to do, but she concluded that perhaps she'd slow Cana down if they didn't do otherwise. She had to think optimistically, and she tried to avoid focusing on the way Cana's footsteps grew further and further away until she couldn't hear her friend's presence at all. This was a time for Levy to prove herself, and she stood tall as she checked the first room to her left. She held her gun up and expected the unexpected, only to be welcomed by a deteriorated office space with abandoned desks and torn leather chairs. She slowly crept in, and she circled around in hopes of finding something, _anything_. She nearly yelped as a large bird had been disturbed by Levy's presence and escaped through a nearby window, its widespread wings flapping close to her hair and making her jump in her boots.

She flushed and made sure Cana was nowhere around to tease her, and when the closet space was empty she relaxed some and went to check the next room. The next few rooms were no luck, and Levy contemplated going back to check on Cana, who should have been done with her round by now. It wasn't smart to call out her friend's name, and if she were in danger she would have heard the commotion by now, which made her all the more worried that it could possibly happen for real and not just in her wandering thoughts. She gulped as she climbed the next floor by herself, and this floor had a slight tilt to it from the building leaning slightly towards the left. Levy balanced herself as she made her way down the corridor. It had to have been the sixth or seventh room she checked, as now her nerves had calmed and she adjusted to the quiet setting. She slid open closet doors efficiently with a quick check, eyes peeled on anything significant, and then on to the next room. She was so adjusted to her routine that she grew slightly careless, and she began to grow bored as it seemed to be the same dead end for each worn down room. Levy sighed as she was already on the fourth floor, Cana nowhere to be seen, and she promised she'd head back down and find her after this last room. Eager to reunite with her partner, Levy quickly opened the last closet on the fourth floor and nearly lost her balance as she jumped three feet. She cried out then, and quickly aimed her weapon up and at nothing in particular.

The gun gripped tightly in Levy's hands felt as if it weighed twenty pounds heavier than usual; it shook tremendously between her palms and she curled her fingers securely around the handle hoping to steady the weapon in her trembling hands. On the floor of the closet wasn't just one missing girl, but two, and from the impressively long navy hair that wrapped around the girl's body and spilled around the molded carpet beneath her, Levy took a wild guess that this had to be the girl that had been in the folder handed to her. The small girl was cradled on her side, wrists and ankles bound tightly behind her. The other young girl behind her seemed to be in the same get up, bounded limbs and mud-caked, tattered clothing. Her magenta hair was matted and sweaty, giving the idea that perhaps she had been in this predicament a bit longer than the first girl, that or she had been treated far worse. Levy quickly dropped to her knees, disregarding the glass surrounding the area; not that she'd be able to notice the sting in her knee caps due to the adrenaline racing through her and given how focused she was on the girl— Wendy, her name was Wendy. She quickly pulled off the blindfold that was tightly tied around her head, and Levy's stomach dropped when her identity was confirmed. Definitely the girl in the photo, but the glowing, smiling face had been altered after what seemed like a brutal beating. Levy couldn't think straight, her lip quivered and all she could think to herself was _why? Why_ echoed through her mind as she felt her finger tips go numb.

"Wendy, Wendy are you okay?" Levy didn't recognize her own voice; usually cheerful and loud, she was now soft spoken and her voice cracked in a squeak. "Wendy, answer me! We have to get you out of here!" She grabbed the girl by the shoulders and raised her up. She snatched off the duct tape off the girl's cracked lips and winced although the pain wasn't her own. The tearing sound and the sharp pain awoken the young girl, and Levy felt her heart beat pick up when the girl's eyes fluttered open. Levy almost believed that she was dead, she was so pale and thin, and her eyes widened in terror when she came to consciousness; she began whimpering, too terrified to speak out and immediately kicked the floor beneath her to put some distance between her and the short woman. However, the reflective badge on Levy's uniform caught Wendy's attention and made her teary eyed with relief.

"P-police," Wendy croaked and Levy nodded eagerly. Tears poured out of her like an on switch and Levy reassuring brushed the bangs out of Wendy's eyes and nodded softly. "H-How did you find us?" Wendy asked, and her voice was hoarse and painfully scratched out of her throat. She must have been thirsty, and Levy regretted not having some kind of drink to give her.

"We can talk later," Levy answered as she reached for blade from her waist. Wendy remained quiet and kept her eyes averted; Levy began working on her bound wrists, and she cut through the ropes that held her arms behind her back. She reached for the handheld on her hip and paged Cana, something she should have done first hand but was too taken aback to do so. Briefly she explained the situation, and as she did so Wendy looked around momentarily as she tried to recognize her surroundings; from the way she wrinkled her nose and furrowed her brows she must have been blindfolded for quite some time.

 _Got it,_ the brunette's voice spoke out through the handheld and Levy sighed when she knew her partner was coming. "We'll get you out of here, you're safe now." Levy reassured the girl and successfully cut through the ropes binding her wrists before slowly turning Wendy back around to face her. Next was her ankles, and as she turned Wendy around she noticed how stiff she was becoming and that the young girl was already falling back asleep, and her head grew heavy as it bobbed up and down. "Wendy, please stay with me," Levy panicked, and when she shook the girl's shoulders Wendy's eyes fluttered open once more. "Wendy, what's the matter?" Levy noted that it wasn't the smartest question to ask given how _obviously_ traumatizing this whole situation must be and that of course something was the matter, but she truly didn't know what to say. She'd never been in this predicament before, and it only rubbed in her face more how poorly experienced she was.

"M-miss officer," the young girl grew teary eyed and her face paled as her entire body fell under a blanket of shivers. She was shaking uncontrollably and Levy lowered herself to her Wendy's level. She noticed how Wendy was now hugging herself, and she tried not to stare at the way her wrists have bruised horribly from the binding.

"What is it, Wendy? Are you okay?" Levy asked, and she couldn't figure out why Wendy's mouth was hanging ajar yet no sound was coming out. Perhaps she was in shock, obviously she was, but there was something so ghostly about her that made Levy uncomfortable. "Let's go ahead and take care of your ankles, then we can help your friend. What's her name, Wendy?"

She shook her head no.

"Wendy? What's her name?" Levy tried again softly this time, not expecting an answer but hoping the small talk would soothe the crying child. The silence made Levy uncomfortable; pear prickled her skin with goose bumps.

"Miss Officer," the girl cried out again, and Levy's knife cut through the last of the restraints.

"Yes?" She asked hopefully, staring Wendy eagerly in the eyes.

"B-b-behind," She stuttered, and just as Levy processed what she was trying to tell her, Wendy fully shrieked out her warning. _"Watch out!"_ Her voice shrilled, tipping through the air in an ear-ringing scream. That paired just in time to the heel that came into contact with Levy's face just as she turned to look behind her shoulder, and she didn't expect such a powerful kick to send her almost completely flying across the room. She skidded to a halt, toppling over broken glass and debris that littered the office floor. Levy's vision spun until she focused in on a pale, slender woman in a quite revealing dress that wasn't suitable for their scene. What stuck out to her the most was the crimson hair that spilled over her chest and wrapped around to be secured behind her back—that or the woman's direful smile. Levy felt the warm, copper liquid drip down her temple and roll down her jawline. Levy reached for the gun on her hip, only to pat against her skirt instead. The weapon glistened in the glimpse of sunlight pouring in from the destroyed roof, and her heart dropped to her stomach as the red headed woman kicked it to the side where it slid to another part of the office and completely out of her sight.

"My, my, looking for something?" The woman's face tilted and a shadow casted over her eerie stare. The red head giggled as she pointed her gun towards Levy, and as she raised her arm to aim, Levy looked passed and noticed the distinct tattoo covering the woman's revealed breast. Where had she seen that symbol before? "Shut up!" The woman's outburst towards Wendy's hysterical crying snapped Levy out of her trance. When the red head aimed her gun at the fourteen year old Levy knew she had to take action; how she would, however, hadn't crossed her mind. She leaped to her feet and quickly ran the opposite direction, taking cover behind a pile of desks and filing cabinets. "Where do you think you're going, little girl?" The woman's voice shrieked, and her maniacal laughter filled the air as she aimed in Levy's direction, the bullet splintering the wood of the desk near Levy's head and making her scream out. She was glad that she gained back the woman's attention, but now she was completely stuck on what her next move would be.

Levy panicked as she held her handheld to her face, pressing the button down and screaming into it. _"Cana things are getting really bad up here!"_ She shrieked when another gunshot hit close fire, and she barreled into the handheld. _"I-I th-think I'm on the fourth floor! Cana p-please h-hurry!"_

Cana yelled back something reassuring but it was drowned out by the woman's sickly voice, which dripped with an artificial sweetness that made Levy's blood run cold.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are," her voice trailed through the large office space. Luckily for Levy this room tilted away from the sun, and apart from the golden rays that spilled through the tattered holes cracked through the crumbling ceiling, majority of the room was darkened and swallowed by shadows, helping Levy conceal herself in her hiding space. Levy squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to analyze her predicament; somewhere north of her was her gun, resting in the rubbish wherever than lunatic had kicked it. Cana was somewhere in the building, hopefully on her way. Past her heartbeat pounding in her temples she could hear Wendy's whimpering. She knew she couldn't hide forever, and she could hear the redhead's footsteps growing louder and louder as she approached Levy's hiding spot. Levy went out on a whim and quickly crossed the opening between her hiding spot and another row of destructed, abandoned furniture. Her opponent targeted a few locks of her blue hair and fired in Levy's general direction, which made the small girl cry out as she ducked for cover. In the dark she could hardly find her weapon, and she patted the dirty ground quickly as she tried to find where the woman had kicked it. _Think, Levy, think!_ She begged herself, and beneath her the ground shook with the force from the gunfire shooting across the floor below.

"Hmph, sounds like your little friend's found company. Now, if only you'd stop being such a damn child and come out and fight as well!" The woman cried out, and Levy squeezed tears away as her face flashed and panic weighed her body down. She was trembling, her shoulders shook and she knew she was in danger, she knew there was a chance that she wouldn't make it out of this alive. Dead. _D_ _ead on her first freaking mission._ Everyone was right; everyone warned her about becoming a police officer. She was too small, too _weak_ ; she wouldn't stand a chance in an actual emergency. When they placed her in a body bag she'd be proving everyone right; Jet, Droy, _Laxus_ , they all had told her and she was too stubborn to listen. She felt so stupid, she—

 _"It ain't all 'bout yer size, ya'know,"_ she recalled him saying; his voice had risen from the depths of her mind, only slightly louder than her own conscious. His voice hummed low in the silence of her apartment room, back when his fingers had rummaged through her hair. Her tear drops plopped against the back of her hands as she remained on all fours, still on her knees as she scrambled to find her gun. She smiled softly when his face flashed behind her tightly shut eyelids, and for a moment she reminisced on his smile. She shook her head roughly and scolded herself weakly. Why in Fiore would she think of that man at a time like this? Perhaps she really were about to die; given now her memories were flashing before her eyes like some kind of film. She thought back to that night, the way after hours when they had finished round two and were naked, only for the satin sheets wrapped around their tangled bodies. His heated skin pressed against hers as he held her closely to him, she remembered the way his heart beat had sounded thudding against his chest. She had spilled a few personal problems, and goodness was the man a great listener, but just when she believed she had talked his ear off and he had grown disinterested he had spoken up. His hands were still wrapped in her hair, playing in the cerulean curls in a way that he learned quickly soothed her.

 _"Yer job,"_ he started. _"It ain't about ya size, Shorty, it's about ya spunk."_

 _"My what?"_ Levy had asked, and having a vast vocabulary she knew exactly what the word meant, just that she couldn't find herself to associate with it. She flinched when he pressed a finger against her chest and said nothing more, but she understood what he was trying to say. The inside, yeah, she got it, even if it were the cheesiest thing said to her in a long time it meant the world. She smiled then, a warm genuine smile that had caught onto his lips as well. He smiled softly at her and he leaned his chin into his palm as he watched over her.

 _"Fer a first impression I think yer a good cop."_

 _"You're just saying that to suck up to me,"_ Levy grumbled as she hiked the covers further up to conceal her exposed body. She turned away from him and he chuckled to himself.

 _"I think yer strong,"_ He admitted. _"More than ya think, that's fer damn sure. And if no one believes it, prove it, Shorty."_ She could hear the smile in his voice, and when she turned to look behind her shoulder she was right. He was _smiling,_ a real smile that made something leap in her chest. She remembered growing tired then, and the urge to sleep blanked her as her eyelids grew heavy. And her heart sung as she felt true happiness after a long time, and never did she tell him how much those words meant to her in a time where everyone promised her she was weak. In that moment she truly did feel strong, strong to him at least, and she was contempt with that.

Levy gritted down her teeth as the memory was annihilated by the ferocious gunshot fired into the ceiling. "I'm tired of playing games!" The woman shrilled, and just as Levy presses her back into the rubble protecting her, from the corner of her eye she caught a soft glisten of the barrel of her gun. Her eyes widened as she realized it was another out stretched run in the open with no type of cover to protect her along the way. Underneath her she could hear gunshots firing like crazy and there was no telling how many opponents Cana was up against. Her friend needed her, Wendy and the young girl needed her, and if she stayed there she was as good as dead. Levy contemplated her next move, and just as she decided her handheld transceiver blared with Cana's orders.

 _We need backup! Our location is 2466, West-End distri—!_

Levy jumped when the handheld gave away her hiding spot. Cana's voice was cut off before she could finish stating the street address, and a sickly voice poured over the rubble like an avalanche ready to consume her as the red head spotted where she was taking cover. "Found you, little girl!" She shrilled, and without thinking Levy's body catapulted to her feet just before the concrete rubble behind her exploded into pieces from the gunshot. She launched herself to the opposite of the room, expertly falling into a roll and skidding without losing sight of her gun. Mid-tumble she managed to reach out and grab her weapon, all whilst climbing back to her feet and aiming fire towards the woman yards away from her. Wendy shrieked our as a stream of bullets were sent into her direction, and the woman ducked and covered behind another chunk of the broken down ceiling. All she had to do was keep the woman busy until backup arrived, which shouldn't have been too far from now. Levy fell down to her knees as well and concealed herself from the expected bullets that would fire at her any moment now. The shots that shook the floor beneath her had ceased to a still, eerie calm. Levy's panic skyrocketed as she was concerned about Cana's safety, and foolishly she had stayed down far too long. To her surprise there weren't any bullets at her, but instead a close ranged attack. Without having much time to think, Levy quickly dodged as she jumped out of the way; the sting of something sharp slicing against her shrieked across her skin. Levy cried out as her upper arm had been sliced across, luckily nothing too deep she noted but still enough to bleed out and onto the molded carpet.

"I'm tired of playing your games, little girl!" The woman shrilled, and she retracted he second knife from the restraints wrapped around her calf as both her hands now wielded a weapon. Levy quickly dodged again and shot fired, but so closely did the red headed woman expertly move to the side and Levy's bullet went in vain as it annihilated the already crumpling wall in front of her. She screamed out as the woman effortlessly kicked against her stomach, once again making Levy fly backwards as she was caught by some upstanding debris that stopped her with a brute force. The world shook around her, and as the woman closed in Levy panicked as she aimed again and pulled the trigger. Her gun clicked lifelessly, ad her eyes widened with fear only to realize she had completely ran out of bullets.

"Game over," the woman's churning words made her lips curl into a sickening smile, and just as Levy did believe she was good as dead, something snapped within her. She didn't remember retrieving the small blade that rested on the cold ground, which must have flew out her hands after the first time her opponent attacked her while she was helping Levy. It was sitting there in the detritus of the floor, and her fingers curled around it quickly and without thinking she aimed out and struck anything, it didn't matter what as long as it was _something_ , and Levy's eyes shot open in both disgust and surprise as her blade cut deeply into the woman's thigh. She shrieked out then, and Levy twisted the blade deeply before rolling out of harm's way. The woman's shrieking made her blood run cold and as she looked up there were flame's in the woman's promising eyes. She immediately stepped over Levy, who had frozen in fear in the process, and gritted her teeth at her as she seethed. The blood rolled down her leg and pooled in a growing puddle beside Levy's hip.

"I'll kill you for that, nice and slow, you—!" But her promise was cut short when the sound of a door breaking down and the consistent steam of bullets that crashed above Levy's head. "N-No, d-damnit, why is this happening?!" The redhead screamed as she reached for her gun and sucked in sharply as one cut through her left shoulder, and she winced before tearing towards the right and escaping out the nearest window. It was a four story drop from here, but she leaped without hesitation, only the glower shot over her shoulder towards the bluenette police woman still sprawled out on the floor. There was something chilling in that glare, as if through eye contact alone she promised Levy this wouldn't be the last she'd seen of her. She leapt, miraculously without catching any bullets that followed her trace, and all that could be seen was her cardinal colored hair flying behind her until she disappeared into thin air. With the gunfire ceased to a halt, Levy could hear her heart pounding overwhelmingly against her chest, so powerfully that she felt lightheaded and sick to her stomach. She jumped viciously when another officer dropped to their knees in front of her and stared into with round, worried eyes.

"Levy, are you okay?!" The woman cried out, and once Levy was snapped back into reality she gasped when she saw Lucy only inches away from her face. She was speechless for a moment, and her mouth was left slightly ajar as she focused in on the way the sunlight seemed to make Lucy's blonde hair explode into gold, and how the light warmed her dark irises into golden caramel color. She couldn't speak, the shock hadn't left her body yet, and when Lucy's attention turned to Levy's bleeding forearm with concern, she hadn't even realized her friend was speaking to her. "Oh crap, you're bleeding pretty badly."

"Wh-wha—?" Levy turned to arm to find the short sleeve of her light blue uniform now darkened with a deep red shade. The fabric stuck to the wound and the blood was still slowly rolling down the rest of her arm. Her eyes widened at the wound but before she could comment on it Lucy wrapped her arms tightly around Levy's neck. She didn't voice how relieved she was for her safety; all she could do was sob into the crook of Levy's neck, her blue waves sticking to Lucy's cheek.

"Thank God," she whimpered before pulling away. "We should really get you and the girls back to the station. We need to clean your wounds."

Levy's eyes deepened on apprehension and she refused Lucy's suggestion. "W-Wait, I can't go back to the station, n-not like this—,"

"Levy, what are you talking about?" Lucy asked nervously with furrowed brows.

"I can't go back, not like this, not—!" Tears breached her eyelashes and before she could blink them away they rolled down her cheeks in thick sobs. "Please, I can't let Laxus see that I got hurt. Please don't tell him. Please don't tell Laxus," she sobbed, and she looked away with shame as she cried weakly in front of her friend. Lucy blinked once as she processed what in Fiore must have been going through Levy's mind. Levy firmly pressed her hand over the wound under her shirt sleeve, and from the sound of the glass cracking behind her, she looked behind her shoulder up at the pink haired man that's been Lucy's partner for the past few weeks as well as her juicy love interest according to the bartender from fairy tail and other nosy officers at the station. Levy hadn't had a decent conversation with him yet, only an exchange of their names and a few short laughs, but that was it. There were voices from the hall too, and unfortunately it wasn't just Lucy who had witnessed Levy's injuries, meaning she couldn't help hide the wounds even if Lucy was willing to keep the secrets.

"C'mon Levy, we'll talk about it later." Lucy helped Levy to her feet and the frail officer staggered to her feet as the loss of blood made her slightly nauseous. From beside her she could see Wendy being taken care of and the pink haired girl's restraints were cut and her arms and legs were free from the ropes that kept them secured together. A weight was released from her shoulders as she watched a warm blanket wrapped over the shivering girls who cried as they tightly hugged one another. Things could have ended far worse if backup hadn't come, and that reminder slapped Levy sharply in the face as she realized Cana wouldn't have needed help defeated the red headed woman. It was later revealed that Cana faced three different opponents, all with the same symbol tattooed on their skin as Levy's rival. A bitter taste was left in her mouth as she suddenly felt weak and frail, but she let the insecurities slide as Lucy helped her out of the room where she almost lost her life. And thus they began their silent car ride towards the station.

…..

 **A long tiresome night left Levy** far past the point of exhausted. She never knew she could feel so tired that even sleep wasn't tempting. She needed something else, something she'd been relying on more than usual. She was worried she'd slowly grow into an alcoholic like her partner Cana who could go through barrels of liquor at a time. She needed something strong to help her cope with the pain she received every time she moved even the slightest, and hopefully if she downed enough drink she could dilute the mortification of today's mission from her mind. Levy was desperate to get off her feet and stumbled into one of the cafés lining the cobble stones of Magnolia. She blended in with a large bustling crowd taking over what appeared to be a bar more than anything, and wiggling through the many faces standing around the establishment Levy managed to find a stool at the bar. She was grateful to climb up and scan the thin drinks menu.

"Welcome," a voice poured from behind the counter, and a man she didn't recognize cleaned a glass with a dish towel. The bartender hesitated when he saw the thick bandage covering a good chunk of Levy's forehead, right above her left eye. She was grateful he said something rather than pretend it wasn't there like everyone seemed to be doing. "Seems like someone's had a bad night."

"The word 'bad' just doesn't do it justice," Levy half grinned as she contemplated what poison would be suitable for drowning her worries. Perhaps vodka would do the trick, and she battled her indecisiveness if she wanted to play it safe with lemon drop or try something with a different flavor she hadn't tasted yet. Levy knew as much about alcohol as she did about being an adult, which meant her life was a spiraling downhill mess that she couldn't control even if she did have it together. In other words she was better off ordering an innocent soda, but soda wasn't going to help her wind down from such a crazy day she's had. She took some advice from the bartender and took his word for it, allowing him the freedom to whip her up whatever he wanted. Levy rested her chin in the palm of her hand and sighed out, for once she felt a little at peace; it was nice to have some background noise that made her crippling thoughts a tad less overbearing. Whenever she closed her eyes all she could see was the pale, wide-eyed look Wendy had shot over at her, and the thick ear-breaking shriek she shrilled through the empty building. She shuddered when she recalled the redheaded woman's chilling glare before she leapt out the window—the way Laxus had looked so _disappointed_ by the time she got back to the station. Levy's eyebrows twitched and furrowed as she tried her best to erase the image from mind; she tried to recollect on the recent chapter of the dirty book she picked up, but any sliver of a memory she had was immediately tainted by the Wendy's traumatic cries that would haunt her for a life time.

Levy only snapped out of her thoughts when the bartender tapped her on the shoulder. "Hey, kid," he started off with a grumble.

"Huh?"

"What's ya name?" He asked as he whipped up her drink.

"Levy," She whispered out after a lagged paused. She scratched her nail down the grain of the counter top, and she took a deep breath to regulate her breathing and calmed her nerves. She couldn't be alone right now, and she didn't want to bother Lucy, so this would have to be the place she crashed out until closing. She couldn't face the apartment alone; she didn't want to be by her lonesome to deal with her thoughts. Maybe Jet and Droy were right—maybe she _wasn't_ ready for this career like she said she was. And for crying out loud it was her first _real day_ on the job. It only got more intense past this, which could mean two possible outcomes. For starters she could eventually get used to this kind of everyday business and get numb to it like Juvia had explained to her during her first days; unfortunately, there was also the possibility that it would only get worse from here and Levy wouldn't be able to handle it. She wouldn't give up so easily, would she?

"Bacchus," the man replied. "Now do me a favor Levy and show me your I.D." He snickered when she snapped an irritated glare at him. "Don't worry sweetheart, with a body like that I wouldn't for a second mistaken you for a kid. Just the law, right officer?" Levy's eyes widened when he called her by that, and he slid over the drink to her and leaned his elbows on the counter. "Seen ya on your patrols, you have this distinct face that makes ya hard to forget," he shrugged at the idea. "You're also pretty cute, so you're as easy on the eyes as you are to remember." She found that humorous considering Gajeel made her feel as if she it was impossible _not_ to forget her. She stared sullenly at her drink while Bacchus hiccupped as he retrieved a drink from under the bar and chugged it down in a few seconds top. Levy watched dumbfounded as the bar tender's face flushed red and he slammed the cup down with a satisfied _ahhh_. "Yeah, was wonderin' what you were up to in here. Under cover or somethin'? Tryna shut us down, too?"

"Nothing like that," Levy mumbled as she sipped slowly at her drink. "And if I was it would really be cool if you didn't scream it out," Levy chuckled to herself and pressed a hand against her skin which was still heated from the casual compliments thrown at her. "No, I just needed a drink is all, and a real noisy place. I don't want to be lost in my thoughts right about now."

"Well you came to the right place, that's for damn sure." Bacchus replied as he pulled a stool over to sit across Levy. "It's about ten o'clock and once it starts to either become packed or more recently _slow_ , ol' Casanova over here starts his _real_ damn singing—if you can call it that. Right now is just some bullshit slow shit, I mean he really gets into and he's so fuckin' loud."

"Casanova?" Levy chuckled, "Are you talking about that god awful music playing?" She twirled a finger in the air to refer to the acoustic guitar strumming and the rustic voice overpowering the chit chat going through the bar.

"It's not everyone's cup of tea," Bacchus shrugged, "and that's putting it _lightly_. Something about the guy's singing is so horrible that it transcends into good. It's a weird, rusty voice that all the authentic-music-lovers are drawn too because it's too painful for the media to pick up, which makes it cooler or something. I mean there's sometimes he's kinda good but other times I wonder if it's his style to be this bad. The old man doesn't pay him, that's why he's up there; wasting his damn time. Not like it matters, even if it gives most of the night crew a migraine the guy's appearance has made the café a hundred times more popular. I think the ladies are more interested in him than they are his music. Oh God, I don't know what's more annoying." Another swig from another drink, and Levy enjoyed the man's company knowing full well he'd probably be passed out on the floor in the next hour.

"Well, isn't that charming," Levy smiled as she finished her drink, grateful to be distracted by bad music and animated conversation. Bacchus began on her next and final selection as she chuckled to herself just thinking about it. "I think it's wonderful that you guys are so open to different tastes in music, it's not the _best_ but it definitely fits the vibe of the place. Really old school and different, I like it."

"You're just sayin' that," Bacchus smirked as he passed the drink over. "You're just as hopeless as the girls who fall at the man's feet. You must have had a glimpse of him before you sat down; no one compliments a voice like that unless they've already been sentenced on cloud Redfox."

" _Redfox?"_ Levy practically choked on her drink. There was no fucking way—perhaps it was a common last name? Not that she's ever met _anyone_ with that last name before but Magnolia was a rather large city. No, it couldn't be the same man, the same face that had told her his full name only hours before he had disappeared for good. It couldn't be _Gajeel_ Redfox. There could be tens of thousands of Redfox's living around here that she wasn't aware of. I mean, what were the damn odds that the jerk himself would be singing in _this_ café at _this_ hour? There was just no way, she wouldn't believe it, she—

Some cheers came from the crowd as the music came to a stop. The speakers blared as a crowd favorite came to an end, and it was then that she realized his music must have only been pleasing to intoxicated ears. The hours had crept by to almost eleven and the café was busier than ever. Levy's heart dropped to her stomach as lips brushed over the microphone and a puff of air exhaled from the man's deep sigh.

" _Good evening,"_ the voice that had fueled her wildest fantasies cruised through the speakers and sent chills down her spine. Levy's shoulders winced as she gasped deeply. She looked behind her shoulder and past the many bodies wrapping around the stage. Just barely could she make out a figure of a man in a pure white suit, and if it were for his long, raven hair she would have never recognized him so dressed up. Levy's face burned bright red as she stared face on at the man she'd been crazy about for months, the same despicable man that had kept her so warm in the night only to leave her bitterly cold in the morning. It was more than just a one night stand; she kept calling it that to ease the pain it left her with, but it was so much more. They stayed up for hours on end talking, she learned things about him, she told him things she'd never tell a soul; that man carried with him stories that Jet and Droy couldn't even imagine—that's the kind of one night stand they had. They had another drink and he looked into her eyes, he pulled her closer to him and they shared a kiss, he said he really liked her. More than sex, more than whatever they had done in the depths of the night. He wanted to see her again, that's what he said and he wasn't the one who drunken and vulnerable. Was he lying..? He had to be, right? He never got back to her, and stupidly and childishly she had believed he would have by now. He played her. He lied to her. He didn't owe her anything and she knew that, so why? Why was she so mad at him?

"If you keep your mouth open like that you'll drool," Bacchus teased. "See, I told ya you were hopeless like the rest of them."

Levy's heart was beating so hard it could break her ribcage. She couldn't believe he was actually here, and with him all dressed up and running a finger down the strings of his guitar it was as if he were a completely different person. He wasn't at all as serious as he came off to be that night, if anything he was kind of giddy, smiling and having a blast. He must have been drinking. Levy tugged at her hands nervously as she couldn't force herself to look away. "Y-you don't think he can see me from over here, can he?"

"What's the matter? Scared ya don't look good enough for a first impression?" Bacchus rolled his eyes. "Girls are insane."

"What are you talking about?" Levy shouted at him. "Don't jump to conclusions, I know him, that's why I'm asking!"

"Sheesh, don't get so worked up. Ex or something?" Bacchus didn't give her room to explain their history. "If you know the guy like you say you do, do the whole damn crew a favor a convince him to quit his little side job!" He dug his pinky in his ear and twisted it around as he winced, and unfortunately for him Gajeel was preparing for another hour's worth of original music.

" _Thank ya for joinin' us tonight,"_ The once chuckling man returned to his serious and seductive demeanor that she had gotten to know quite intimately. _"As always what a great crowd you've been. I'd like to call this song…"_

Levy turned away and covered her ears with her hands. Her face was on fire! Bacchus chortled and took it as her not being able to tolerate his voice any further, but the truth was just heading him over the microphone made her heart break two times over again. Levy needed to get out of here as soon as possible before she risked the chances of being seen by him. Not that she'd mind if they accidentally bumped into one another, she just wasn't dressed for the moment. Why couldn't she have run into him the night Cana and Lucy went out to the club? She had looked so good in her opinion, but she just _had_ to encounter him after the worst day on the job and an outfit she really shouldn't have left the house in. She was wearing sweatpants and a hoodie for crying out loud! And they didn't even match! Not to mention she looked like she barely meant Death's height requirement or something, because she looked two seconds away from dropping dead. Her eyes were swollen from all the crying, she hadn't cleaned the mascara covering her dark circles, and the bandage of her lumped forehead was humiliating. She had to get out of there!

"I gotta get outta here," Levy panicked as she grabbed her bag and slammed some Jewels on the counter. "Nice meeting you, take care and be safe!" She jumped off the stool and rushed towards the door all the while to her mortification a drunken bar tender called out her name.

"Oi, _Levy_ , ya didn't even drink ya second drink!" He shrieked her name through the bar, and if there was a name that she believed was almost as unique as Redfox, it was her own, and she'd never stumbled across another Levy for as long as she lived. With that being said, if Gajeel just so happened to hear Bacchus screaming for her, then that would only mean he'd assume it was her. He knew she was here.

The music came to a sudden halt and Levy's mind exploded in panic. Doing the only practical thing she could think of, Levy dropped immediately to her stomach and was seconds away from planting her face on the dark, wooden floor boards. She didn't register the pain shooting up her arm, and a few faces turned to her as many worried that she had far too much to drink and had passed out suddenly. She continued on all floors out the door and out of Gajeel's range of vision, and cursing Bacchus deeply before she tore out the door and into the night, putting as much distance between her and the café as she possibly could.

 **A/N: I'm sorry I took nearly a month to update. I don't even have writer's block, I just can't figure out my free time LMAO. I think I have it under control now, and chapter 5 is halfway done in hopes of compensating why it took two decades to update. Joyously, Gajeel will be in every chapter after this, I know we've waited long enough for the smut/fluff/and Gajevy goodness. I'm excited to see you soon! Please comment and review, they mean the world, and as always thank you for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Hello my lovelies! Thank you so much for returning! I really enjoyed writing this chapter and hope you enjoy it as well. Your reviews and support have really been uplifting; I thank you wholeheartedly for reading! Also, fun fact, I kind of imagine this version of Magnolia to be like Chicago, if that helps you imagine the scenery.

Anyways, please enjoy!

 **Chapter 5.**

 **Levy winced as the cut across** **her** brow stung in response to the medicine that was pressed against it. The makeshift informatory had become Levy's safe haven for the past hour and a half; she only needed a few medical supplies but the small enclosed space did wonders in allowing her to hide from the rest of her coworkers. The blood had been rinsed from her hair and wet locks bled into her stained police uniform, soaking her heated skin underneath. Beneath the cut a nasty bruise was forming and a lump was already beginning to stick out from Levy's forehead. The woman from her previous fight in the abandoned building had kicked her pretty hard; Levy was still amazed at how forceful each hit she received was. The heel of the woman's shoe was what cut into Levy's brow and it had bled pretty badly, something Levy hadn't noticed in the heat of the moment. She was startled when she accidentally came across her reflection in the visor mirror left down in Cana's vehicle. She looked an absolute mess, the blood that had rushed down her face and dried up along her cheek and neck had also splattered onto the chest of her blouse in dark brown stains. Her hair was soaked with blood from when she was trapped on her back, soaking in blood from both the cut lining her eyebrow and from the injury running down her opponent's leg.

Levy tried to freshen up before they arrived to the station, but both her fingertips and her face had grown numb after the fight and she felt as if she were in a daze; all she could focus on was the scenery outside the shotgun window, the treetops that concealed the sun apart from every few yards where the sunlight would crack through the leaves and blind her. She strained her vision and didn't look away, and she lost herself in beautiful flowers blooming in the weather's warmth and the lovely shades of green that colored the leaves like a masterpiece splashed on a canvas. Levy was so out of it that she didn't even realize Cana had been trying to talk to her for the past half hour, _must be the head injury,_ Cana assumed after Levy had ignored her, but truth be told Levy couldn't find the strength in her to speak.

None of the officers said anything once she walked into the station, but there were a few rumors that were said behind hands and over cubicles about the newbie's unpleasant first job. _Kid shoulda stuck to tickets,_ a male's raspy voice followed her to the infirmary the voice broke out into a hearty laugh, and the man didn't seem too considerate towards Levy's feelings given he didn't even attempt to whisper his thoughts like the other employees had tried to. Levy didn't speak up or send him a glare; she didn't bother when he was only speaking the truth. He was absolutely right, and that alone made her eyes sting with tears that she quickly wiped away with the back of her hand, a bad idea was given she smeared even more blood across the bridge of her nose. With a cloud of shame raining over her aching shoulders, Levy was immediately seen by a medic that stayed at the station, but all she provided her with were bandages and cleaning her wounds. Levy sighed with relief when she was informed she didn't need any stitches, something she truly worried about given how excruciatingly painful it was to get them in the past. The first and only time Levy received stitches was for the injury that had run under her breasts, slicing from one side to the other in a jagged horizontal line. The scar haunted her for life, but it was a hard earned lesson that brought her up to what she was today, and without it she wouldn't be in this uniform, this police station, this infirmary. She wouldn't have met Lucy, and so in some twisted form or another it was worth it.

"Thank you," Levy nodded to the medic who came to check up on her, and once the door was closed behind them Levy's attention turned to the sullen woman in front of her. Cana was long-faced and reserved in the corner, back leaned against the wall and arms crossed tightly across her chest. All she had was a few minor cuts from the stray glass that littered the building, but other than that she seemed fine, physically that is. Compared to Levy you'd never have expected they were on the same job, let alone find out that Cana had fought two more opponents than Levy had. The two young women hadn't said anything to one another since the car ride and at the rate they were going it was going to stay that way until someone found the courage to speak up. Cana was dangerously stubborn, so stubborn that it honestly shocked Levy when she spoke up first. Her voice was deep and grounded out of her with a serious tone, but the tremble in her eyes portrayed that she was anything but angry, she was hurt. "Levy, I'm... I'm so sorry—,"

"Cana, please don't," Levy mumbled as she pressed an ice pack against the gauge covering part of her forehead. She was beyond embarrassed, and she pressed the ice pack firmly against the sore bruise in hopes that the dull pain would distract her from the burning humiliation swirling around the pit of her stomach. "I don't need you to apologize to me, not when—,"

"Well I'm gonna apologize anyway, Levy!" Cana yelled out, cutting Levy's words off, and she uncrossed her arms to throw them in the air. Cana was angry at first, but when she focused in on the bandages covering the small girl her stare softened and she turned away. "It was your first job and I was supposed to look out for you. Telling us to split up was the stupidest decision I've ever thought of. I..." she couldn't find the words to say. Cana wasn't too good at apologies and didn't give them often; most of her actions and decisions were justifiable, but this was a whole other level. She wouldn't have apologized if Levy didn't get roughed housed the way she did, but who to think they'd run into _them_ of all people? "You... you do know who we were up against, right?" Cana asked carefully, and when a curious tilt lit up Levy's darkened eyes Cana wasn't very surprised that Levy didn't have a clue. Cana opened her mouth to explain further but was interrupted when the door opened abruptly and a large, grave superintendent marched in. Cana swallowed her words quickly and thanked the Gods that she hadn't of spoken any sooner, given what she was about to tell Levy would have gotten her in serious trouble with the boss.

"L-Laxus," Cana began, but when he sent her a grim stare Cana took the hint and nodded as she pushed herself past the man and made her way out of the room. She sent Levy one last glance, but the bluenette officer kept her eyes low and focused on the speckled floor tiles; her face had grown pale and the icepack in her hand trembled slightly. Cana's expression saddened at seeing Levy so upset, but she knew she had no business between the two of them and exited the infirmary. Now with the door closed and only the two former lovers in the room alone, the air seemed ten times thicker and it took Levy more effort to breathe in and out than it had before. Something about Laxus's presence shifted whatever room he was in; he was silent and powerful, and a serious aptitude made him noticeable whenever he stepped foot or even slightly coughed, causing multiple heads to turn in the man's direction. Even when they were "something" Levy still felt as if she had to be on her best behavior around him, she could never fully relax, and now with him being her superior that feeling had grown tenfold.

He crossed his large arms over his chest, and after giving her a quick up and down a smirk fit over his face. "Hmph," He grunted tauntingly, and that on its own made her emotions boil to the top and rupture out of her like hot steam.

 _"I get it, okay?!"_ Levy snapped, not even twenty seconds into the conversation with the man. Her fingertips burned as she clenched the ice pack in her hand, but she had to let her anger out on something or else she'd self-destruct. Anger blurred her vision as she seethed towards him, but she wasn't necessarily angry despite the tremble in her voice and shoulders, she was ashamed. Tears threatened her eyes but she refused to cry, she cried enough during the mission, and foolishly she hadn't realized that her conversation with Cana had blared through the entire police station as it transferred to everyone's handheld transceivers. Everyone had heard her crying and begging, questioning where Cana was, her shrieking as bullets came crashing around her. It was beyond humiliating, and to make matters worse Laxus had clearly heard the entire thing. "I already know what you're going to say, so just save it would ya? Don't you think I've had a enough as it is?" Levy bit out, and she turned her face away just in case the tears would escape without her permission. Laxus didn't respond to her outburst, and she wasn't sure if she was infuriated or relieved with the man's silence. She didn't know what to think or what to do when his large hand cupped her chin and pulled her face towards him.

"L-Laxus," Levy stammered as he took the ice pack away from her and applied pressure to the wound for her. She hadn't expected him to help her, if anything she was awaiting the long lecture she knew was in store for her. Her hand remained in the air due to shock before she settled with resting her frosted hand over her lap. She also hadn't expected his touch to be so soft and reassuring, and it fueled memories of more intimate times when his touch had been the number one thing to numb her worries. A time where perhaps maybe they were in love, but she couldn't remember. It was so long ago, and such a ghostly reminder tugged at her emotions in a recollection of what they had lost, whatever it was. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she tried to focus on the simple sink and counter past his shoulder; she couldn't look him in the eyes, not like this, not after what she'd done. "I'm sorry," she managed to apologize with a cracked voice.

"Don't be ridiculous," Laxus responded in a low whisper that only the two of them were capable of hearing. "Don't apologize."

"I let her get away," Levy admitted with a choked sob. "If Cana weren't there, I'd be dead and the girls wouldn't have been found and I, _I_ —," Levy couldn't hold back her tears. _"I failed,"_ her whimpered voice grew in octave as she cried out to Laxus, and her distressed voice shook his core although he didn't show any affect rather than the slight tightening of his lips as they pressed into a firm line. Levy couldn't hold back her sobs and she scolded herself mentally for being so weak and emotional in front of him, and it felt like a blade dragging itself across her chest as she remembered how acceptable it was to cry in front of him in the past, with his arms open and her face pressed against his neck. He had been her rock, and since he's left she'd come accustomed to hiding her tears behind bathroom stalls and underneath the thick sheets during her nights spent alone in bed. His touch triggered her emotions further and she couldn't hold her tears back even if she wanted to. She never failed to prove to him how pathetically weak she was.

"You risked your life, kid." Laxus spoke softly, and the nickname felt like a punch in the stomach. "Isn't that enough for you?" He sighed as he questioned himself silently what he was going to do with her. Her lack in strength and endurance only fueled her determination to be better, and her small frame handicapped her in physical activities yet she always came up with impressive results either averaged out or superb in comparison with the other young female officers. Although he tried to explain to her over and over that she didn't have to be perfect, his low grumbled voice always rubbed her the wrong way and she interpret his words of advice as lectures and scolding. Levy was silent in response to that and still she hadn't looked him in the eye. Laxus felt guilt then, momentarily, as he realized perhaps her closed up attitude was entirely his fault. He hadn't been too kind to her in the past year and he knew he was wrong, he just didn't know how to express his feelings to her. It wasn't necessarily that he was a bad person, it's just something about Laxus and Levy didn't match like they so desperately wanted to, and no matter how hard they tried to communicate they had no idea how to talk to one another. As he struggled for the right thing to say, he felt as if he never really knew her at all. "You don't have to impress me all the time, Levy. You're a hard worker."

She looked up then, and her reddened eyes met his once warm golden glaze that had lost its shine sometime in the past when they became permanently cold. There was a flicker of light for a moment, but it flickered away and vanished as he grown serious all over again. "I think you should go back to parking duty, just until you recover, Levy—just until you recover." He sensed the way her body stiffened and her shoulders hunched, and cowardly he couldn't meet her eyes; he couldn't make himself witness the way everything shattered in her expression. "You understand where I'm coming from, don't you? You need to heal."

"Mhm," Levy hummed, and nodded her head slightly and kept her face low; her hands tightened around the hem of her skirt as she tried to stop her shoulders from trembling. "I understand," she whispered knowing if she spoke louder her voice would come out in a sob. Laxus hesitated before pulling away from her, and his hand that rested under chin was now slick from her tears that had rolled onto his skin. He took a deep breath in and squared his shoulders, reminded himself of his job, and then pushed out of the small office and returned to his stern, stoic persona. A few yards down the hall was Cana, who was leaning against the wall with her arms tightly crossed over her chest. Their eyes met in a mutual glare, and he knew she had no way of hearing what had happened, but it was obvious what was said. She knew it was coming the moment she found Levy scratched up, and she loathed the man for what he was doing to her, even if he had good intentions.

"You know you can't protect her forever," Cana spoke up when Laxus quickly passed by her. He stopped in his tracks but didn't turn to look at her, or that Cana needed him to look at her for permission to continue. "I get it, trust me, I do." Her voice softened as she pictured Levy in her mind and how shamefully she had been in Laxus's shoes as well, babying her and keeping her behind her shoulder where she was safe from harm's the way. That's the kind of girl Levy was, soft and a lover more than a fighter, caring and a genuinely good fucking person. She didn't deserve to be looked down on like this, and although Cana never meant to belittle her she was guilty of doing so. "I know you care about her more than you'd like to show, but she's an adult— more importantly, she's a police officer. This is what she's worked hard for; you can't take that away from her, even if it scares you." Cana pushed herself from the wall and her voice crashed through his mind as it wrestled around his thoughts and what he believed was the right thing to do, but the chaos simmered down as her words settled into his blood and courses through him. "You're wrong, Laxus," Cana frowned, and Laxus took a deep breath in but never responded to her words.

"Get back to work, Alberona," his voice tumbled in the small hallway and he shot her a dark look from behind his shoulder. The large man made his way to his office and moments later somewhere in the building a door could be heard slamming from all of his force. Cana clicked her tongue and muttered under her breath, and from behind her in contrast to the slam was the softest click of the infirmary door closing. She turned around to see Levy, still red-eyed and flushed but not sobbing like she had heard. Her ice pack was still in her hand, and her unruly hair had been smoothed down and combed in hopes of her looking presentable. Her shoulders jumped slightly when she realized she wasn't alone, and Levy quickly turned away as she couldn't look Cana in the eye. Cana sighed as she closed the distance between her and her partner. Levy hunched her shoulders as she heard Cana's footsteps closing in, and when they stopped behind her she froze.

"You're off next Sunday, aren't ya?" Cana asked as she kept her eyes forward. "I'll pick you up at noon. There's something I got to tell you. It's important."

Levy looked behind her shoulder then, only to find Cana walking quickly down the hall. Looked like she had somewhere urgent to be, that or she didn't want to be seen talking to Levy right after her and Laxus got into it. Now she felt apprehension coil like a snake at the pit of her stomach, and she groaned as everything was getting worse and worse throughout the day. Breaks sure seemed to run fast because she could never catch one, and Levy returned to the icepack to her forehead as she made her to her cubicle.

The next few days left Levy sore, but nothing compared to the pain she felt that night. The scene in the cafe the night before left a large bruise on her knee during her critical escape, and a dull ache reminded her of her embarrassing encounter with Gajeel. Luckily enough for her she was certain he didn't see her; he had a large crowd after all, and she still couldn't believe she had found him of all people in a place like that _singing_. She shook her head just thinking about it, how ridiculous. Levy ruffled her damp hair in her towel and tied it into a knot. It was two o'clock and she wondered when Cana was going to pick her up so they could discuss whatever it was she promised in the hallway. Her voice was serious and she kept it in a low hushed whisper, it had to be secretive. She hadn't heard from her upbeat friend all morning and she wondered if she was hung over or more realistically had forgotten the whole thing. Levy had a feeling that neither was the case.

Her eyes wandered to the black box still perched on her dresser. There was an itch deep inside of her that she'd been trying to scratch since Gajeel's one night stand, and her pride began to destruct as the toy on the dresser became more and more intriguing to her. It's not like Cana or Lucy will know she actually used it, she knew that the point was to use it, but she couldn't help but blush vividly at the idea. Her brows furrowed as she popped open the cheap packaging and retrieved the lacy, black material wrapped up in a bunch at the bottom of the box. She held them out into the light and stretched the undergarments out for her examination, they seemed harmless to her and nothing far from a pair of low-waist cheeky underwear. There was a bulky piece in the middle which must have been the vibrator, and her face burned as she realized what she was holding up. What was she thinking? She stuffed them back into the package and tossed them aside as she continued getting ready. Levy kicked the package under her bed in case she had any unexpected visitors, and as she concealed her dirty toy her phone vibrated that Cana was outside of her apartment.

"Looking good, Cana!" Levy greeted as she hopped into the shotgun of Cana's car. Cana smiles flatly at her and nodded shortly.

"I can say the same about you; your face looks better now," Cana referred to the kick to the face Levy got almost a week before. The two of them shared a laugh but Levy's laughter trailed off as Cana immediately cut to the chase and reached for a backpack from the backseat and retrieved another folder from the front zipper. "I had to meet up with you for a reason; I swear grumpy would have a cow if he knew I was showing you this." Cana didn't give Levy room to question as she slapped the documents onto her lap, and Levy hesitantly opened the folder to show the profile of the woman who had nearly killed her the day of her first mission.

Levy's brows pulled together as she studied the slender face, now neutral and staring deadly into the mug shot like photo that was given with the folder. The dark symbol could still be seen on her breast, and her smile was not as twisted and evil as it was when she encountered her, but she still held a tilt to her thin lips. "This is..." Levy started off as she scanned to the woman's name on the list of information.

"Flare Corona," Cana read out just as Levy's eyes traced her opponent's name. "She is one of the most wanted faces in all of Fiore, she's been causing havoc since I've gotten on the job, the Magnolia police have been trying to lock her down for as long as I can remember. The fact that you were unlucky enough to face _her_ of all people on your first job is terrifying. I can't begin to explain to you how many of our men she's killed." Cana turned away from her and stared out the window, counting down the faces that never returned to the police station and the deathly looks owned by the many numb, cold partners who kept their eyes averted when their friends never came back from the job alive. No one had been the same, and everyone moved on with their lives but there was still the hushed reminder and the silence that was agonizingly loud. The day Lisanna fell into her coma that lasted months on end, Mirajane- one of the department's best officers -had resigned. After suffering from memory loss Lisanna had left as well, and the beautiful sisters were considered lucky in comparison to what others had faced. Levy picked up on Cana's vibes, and as if her aura were contagious Levy felt her shoulders stiffen just like Cana's began to.

She wanted to ask Cana more about those passed officers despite how rude the question was, when something shocked her completely. "W-Wait a second!" Levy screamed out as she pressed the paper closer to her face and analyzed the text to make sure she didn't read the sentence incorrectly. "This Flare chick is in the mafia?!"

"Check the symbol, Lev, the one on her breast." Cana's index finger tapped the photograph three times and the folder shook in Levy's hands. "That's the mafia for ya, but only the most elite members get tatted from what I heard. Not smart to have a symbol like that and walk around the streets of Magnolia, it's like painting a target sign on ya for the police. Only the worst of the worst get the symbol, and there's no surprise that she has it; don't have to worry about painting a target on ya if ya know you're not gonna get caught," She grumbled, eyeing the way Flare sinisterly stared into the camera. Her face haunted Levy and she shuddered before closing the folder.

"A mafia member wanted to kill me- I woulda been toast," Levy mumbled as her face grew pale. She expected to get hurt, maybe sliced up a little, but never had she really believed she was going to die at the hands of that woman. Was she really in that much denial or had she truly expected she'd be saved? In the end she was, but what if backup hadn't of made it on time? What if they arrived a few minutes later, then what? Levy doubted she would have been able to get out of that encounter alive, and she's lucky she walked out with the injuries she had and not something life threatening.

"Flare's a tough opponent, it would be great to put her ass down but I'm not itchin' to fight her any time soon," Cana shook her head grimly. "The truth is Lev, the real reason Laxus is treating you live a damn five year old is because the Mafia is planted in Magnolia. They've always been a constant problem for as long as we can remember, but over the past year things have gotten significantly worse. They're picking our guys off like flies, it's like they're taunting us, showing off their power—," Cana paused short when she realized she was getting worked up, and it didn't help that Levy was already ghostly white just from knowing she had faced such a dangerous group first hand. "What I'm trying to say is you can't let what Laxus does get to you; the more involved you are the more danger you put yourself in. We risk our lives every day, but this is the damn mafia we're talking about, they could murder our entire families if they wanted to."

"Well then I guess I have nothing to lose," Levy shrugged her shoulders and kept her hands balled up on her lap. That made Cana grow still as Levy did a poor job at hiding the bitter tone in her voice, she'd been an orphan for a long time, and she tried to not let it get to her and she definitely tried to not make it sound like the idea of being alone bothered her, but it did. "I mean, you have your dad still, and Lucy has people who care for her... I think it makes sense if I risk my life, it's not like I'd be taking anyone down with me."

"If you go down I go down," Cana asserted with a challenging look in her eye that dared her to argue. "Geez, always so serious and determined, I miss the old you- the goofy one." Cana leaned back in her chair and exhaled a long sigh, and although Levy was sure Cana's words weren't meant to be taken literal, they still stung just the slightest. Cana flipped the sunglasses resting on her head to fall over her eyes and she cranked the engine. "Well, now that you're all caught up and all," she started as she put the car into reverse.

"Where are we going?" Levy asked as she quickly fastened her seat belt.

"What do ya think? We're gonna find those fuckers who tried to ambush me last week. Mafia or not, they have another damn thing coming if they think they can nearly kill me and get the Hell away with it." Cana tore out of the parking lot with her terrible speeding, and Levy clung to her seat as her partner wove through the Main Street traffic. Being a cop sure had its advantages when you were above authority, Cana could get away with breaking the law like this if she gave good enough reason. "What, you're not gonna go tattle take to Laxus are you? Are you in or not?" Cana asked as she turned to Levy, and she smiled warmly when her bluenette friend's eyes began to sparkle.

"Mmm!" She nodded joyfully.

Levy couldn't determine if she were excited or nervous; her palms were sweating and she anxiously wrung her hands as Cana stayed grim and quiet, speeding and weaving through traffic as they traveled further and further into the city. Levy tried to busy her mind and relax her twirling stomach by reading the signs passing by and familiarizing herself with her location; there were book stores and coffee shops she was very accustomed with and the heart of Magnolia was conventional and seeing the many bustling faces calmed her as she knew she was in commonplace. She knew Cana wouldn't lie to her, but dealing with the mafia sounded so out of the ordinary. That only happened in movies, and why would Magnolia of all places be the center of such heinous crimes? Sure it was a big place, but there were far grander and exciting cities in the world—sheesh, even Fiore had better sights than family-oriented, common Magnolia. She didn't feel as if she was that extraordinary, what were the chances as someone as boring as her- a bookworm who didn't really go out that much -would end up fighting head to head with an important face of the mafia? It just didn't make sense to her, she couldn't process her shock for the situation, and it felt so surreal that she couldn't believe it to be reality. She took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves, so maybe there was a mafia woman who promised to kill her, knows her face, and is still alive- that's okay, it's perfectly fine. She's a police officer, police officers deal with this every day! …Levy wanted to faint.

"Look alive, sunshine," Cana spoke up from next to her, and Levy raised her eyes to the road when Cana pulled into a parallel parking space. "Fucking bastard, there goes our guy. That's only one of the jerks who tried to kill me, the other two I haven't been able to track down yet." Cana nodded towards a man with widespread lips curled downward; he turned slightly down a corner, before stopping to check around. Subtly at first, and he scanned his surroundings so quickly that Levy would have missed it if she weren't trained to detect suspicious behavior. His lanky form and hunched shoulders made him easy to look over, and it would be hard to keep track of his through a crowd Levy notes. Everything about him was dark from his unkempt hair, emotionless eyes and thin lips; his face was expertly expressionless as he kept his face forward and hands deep in his pockets. Levy got chills just from looking at him, underneath his skin tight long sleeve that stretched over him like a second skin and reached into fingerless gloves; Levy wondered where his loyal symbol was tattooed on his body. He would have been easy to miss if it weren't for his ridiculous choice in mid-calf trousers, and that alone convinced Levy enough that he was a psychopath.

"Who's that?" Levy asked with a gulp.

"Kurohebi," Cana recited the name she had only learned a few hours before. "Damn bastard was the first one to attack me, he didn't even speak, he cut right to the point and didn't hesitate a damn second." Her eyes narrowed as she watched him. "Look at that cocky ass, standing in broad daylight when he should be in hiding, his face is plastered all over the wanted fliers, which just shows how arrogant and confident these people are." She leaned back as she retrieved a second pair of binoculars from the glove compartment. "Brought you a pair since we have to stay hidden; it's better than following him in a cop care that's for sure, but these guys are used to being watched, they're very cautious of their surroundings."

"I see..." Levy mumbled to herself as she absorbed everything Cana was telling her. She was still stuck on the part where Cana explained she fought against three of these guys, how in Fiore was she still alive? Levy wouldn't have lasted three seconds if she didn't use her environment to her advantage, she wasn't sure of Cana's surroundings, but even so hiding and evading three people would be difficult, especially if their specialty is murder. Laxus placed the two of them together for a reason, and now Levy felt like a dead weight.

"Hmph, wonder who's this asshole," Cana grumbled as she focused her eyes on the man kurohebi was meeting. "Guess we won't need the binoculars after all, I wonder if he knows he's being watched. I can't predict anything with these guys; everything feels like a damn trap with them." Cana narrowed her eyes as she watched their interaction, and after taking her attention away from her partner, Levy followed her stare to Kurohebi, who moved out of the way just in time to show off a large man in a dark suit; from his backside she could only determine his height which was around six feet, and that his long spiky dark hair was secured in a band at the base of his neck.

"I wonder who he is," Cana started. "Never seen that one before, must be a newbie, or maybe he's an even more dangerous opponent, maybe he has more reason to hide," Cana explained to Levy just as the man turned around. Anxiously Levy craved to see his face just in case she ever ran into him again like she did Flare, but as the man slowly turned around Levy felt all of her senses heighten and her heart take a swan dive into her stomach. Her mouth flew open and she drastically gasped the horror of it all coming out in a small whimper as she slammed her hands to her mouth. Cana immediately turned to her when Levy bristled up, "Levy, what's the matter?"

Levy was too astounded to answer her. The man in the dark suit, Gajeel, had turned around now and leaned his body against the brick of the building concealing them. He kept his hands in his pockets as he talked with not a hint of emotion, and the man she saw interacting with the mafia member was nothing like the man she had slept with, warm eyed and smiling; he looked like a different person, a complete stranger, and if the incident in the cafe made her feel heartbroken, this moment here took the cake. She never felt so disgusted with herself, so absolutely terrified at the fact that she may have slept with someone with more crimes up his sleeve than she could ever imagine. He knew she was a police officer, if he really was a criminal did he sleep with her for the bragging rights of it all? She felt used and humiliated, and her lip quivered as she felt herself grow smaller and smaller.

"D-do you think he's in the mafia, too?" Levy asked worriedly, hoping that her expression didn't give off to Cana that she knew the man outside of their investigation.

"Most definitely. I mean, just look at the way he's dressed, and it's not usual for these kinds of guys to just make small talk with random civilians. Every conversation has as alternate purpose, they're all business, and if the guy's not in the mafia then he's definitely a pawn of some sort." Cana leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest. "Damnit, I wish I knew what they were talking about."

"Do you have any idea what it could be?" Levy asked as she tried her best to look away from Gajeel, but her eyes were glued to every inch of him. Her mind was chaotic as flashbacks came crashing back to her, there was no way it could be the same man, but with his hair, his red eyes and multiple piercings it was certain that the criminal was her love interest, the very face that had fueled her dreams for the past few months.

"He might have information of some sort, maybe a drug deal who knows," Cana explained. "Maybe even about the case we're working on."

"Wh-What's the mafia doing in Magnolia, anyway?" Levy asked a question that should have been brought up already. "What do they want with us?"

"Why you think there are so many missing girls, Lev? It's not just one criminal abducting everyone, it's not some well-known serial killer. The mafia's made Magnolia the human trafficking capital of the world, primarily sex trafficking of minor girls. Adults are victims as well, but mostly their targets are girls between the ages of eleven and eighteen. They've been shipping them all over the world, but most of the flow circulates through Magnolia given we're a major city close to the water. Truth is none of us really know why they chose to settle here, but they did and now they're our damn problem. Their biggest shipments lead to Alvarez, there's already people working on that, but our problem is cleaning up the minor messes they make and finding the girls before they're shipped out for good. The numbers increases each week, the police are the least of their worries, and damnit if they aren't getting away with their crimes..."

"How do we stop them?" Levy asked desperately. "There has to be something we can do, something-"

"There's nothing we can do right now, Levy..." Cana admitted weakly, and her eyes softened as her grip on the steering wheel tightened. "All we can do is following orders, see now why Laxus is so bitter all the time? If anyone feels useless, it's him."

Levy's hands tightened into fists as she looked back on earlier that week when Laxus helped her clean up. He looked so much older than when they were dating; his dark circles and tired eyes spoke volumes as to how exhausted he was both physically and mentally. His job was killing him, yet he tried so hard to keep it together and did everything in his power, she had only added to his stress. Levy felt horrible now, but she knew she couldn't just sit around when there were people out there who needed her help. An idea flashed through her mind then, quick and electrifying as it coursed adrenaline through her veins. "What we need is more information, from a source inside the mafia, right?"

Her partner turned to her with a puzzled look as she wondered where on Earthland Levy's outburst had come from. "What are you getting at, Lev?" Cana asked with an arched brow.

"An inside source," Levy repeated, "We just need to get more information- more details and we can be a step ahead of them- that's it!" Levy's eyes sparkled as she felt more hopeful than she had all week. If she could help with this case to the best of her ability, her advantage being her close association with Gajeel, then she could easily give Laxus a step ahead in solving this case. Not only would that launch them into resolving this whole ordeal, she could win her dignity back and even get some respect from Laxus—she'd rank up in no time. "If we find out where their boss is, and I don't know, arrest him or something, and then all of their schemes will fall to the ground."

"Levy, what the Hell are you talking about?" Cana scolded when she barely understood what Levy was getting at. "Don't be ridiculous and try to tell me you're going to try to ease your way into the mafia or something. They know all of our faces in the damn system, you're lucky you're not dead!" Cana was yelling at her now, and Levy was shocked to see Cana grow so angry. "I would kill you if I found out you tried to hold a damn conversation with one of these assholes- do you know how easily you could get us all murdered?"

 _Yikes, if only you knew I had sex with one of them,_ Levy thought shamefully. She kept her eyes glued to her lap as she felt like a child being reprimanded, and not knowing what to say she shook her head slowly and tensed up. "It was a stupid idea, I'm sorry... I was just trying to help," she apologized when she realized how worried she had made Cana.

"Wait, I didn't to yell-" Cana sighed when she realized the damage had been done. "Levy, listen, I get that your just trying to do the right thing, but this isn't your regular set of bad guys. You can't just arrest these people, throw them behind bars and forget about them. They have connections, a pack; you mess with one you mess with all of them. It's far too dangerous to just run in and take action, you have to be careful."

"You're right," Levy didn't attempt to argue. She desperately wanted to explain Gajeel, but who knows how horribly Cana would freak out. By the time Cana looked up the two gentlemen were gone; she sighed and leaned her head back, swearing as she didn't get anything out of this investigation. "We don't get paid enough for this," Cana grumbled, and Levy remained silent with her eyes trained of her shoes. She knew that her ties with Gajeel would have to remain a secret; lord knows what would happen if the station found out she was associated with a member of the mafia. What about her and Gajeel, though? Should she try to say something to him? He knows she's a cop, but does he know that she's aware he's in the mafia? She was doing to find out that answer herself, and knowing damn well Cana and Laxus would take turns killing her she was going to do it anyway. First things first, she needed to find Gajeel when she was alone, and secondly she was going to have to be smart with how she was going to play things out.

 **Gajeel had been flustered since last week.** He kept his hands deep in his pockets and his shoulders hunched over as he glared lasers into the cobblestone streets of Magnolia. Today was a beautiful day, with the sun high in the sky and not a cloud in sight, and the bustling streets were crowded with the usual tourists in their _I love Magnolia_ t-shirts and sun visors, and the expected business-serious city dwellers who toted their suitcases and kept their cellphones glued to their ear, bickering over the line about meetings and quotas. Gajeel needed to get out of broad daylight; he took a sharp right into an upcoming alley and checked the watch tightened securely on his wrist; it read three p.m and one of Ivan's favorites were meeting him to discuss something Ivan refused to discuss with Gajeel himself. Apparently the damn bastard was out visiting another lot as they called it, which Gajeel assumed was another storage unit full of fucking girls ready for shipment. It's not like they were human beings or anything, it's not like their lives mattered to these bastards, and he still couldn't process the evil that corrupted the mafia—it was the fucking mafia yeah, but it didn't mean it still didn't startle him.

He had yet to gain Ivan's trust, and only those with the black symbol inked into their skin could have that sort of information on his whereabouts; the amount of blood one must have on their hands to gain that mark, that initiation was unheard of. It's like the more he dabbled with the mafia the more he felt himself digging a deeper and deeper hole, and as of now he was neck deep and already suffocating, and the ground behind him was caving and he knew he was walking on eggshells before he fell too far deep for him to climb back on. Thinking about it made his suit feel stuffy as he broke out into a nervous sweat, but he passed the thoughts aside for later pondering. He was a smart man and knew how to play his cards right, he hoped. It didn't matter how clever you were with Ivan; a maniac with a gun is still a maniac with a gun no matter how hard you to appease him, he can kill you without hesitation at any moment even if he favored you.

Gajeel took a deep breath in as he twisted and turned his way through the alleys. He needed to think straight and not fuck up this meet up of his. Why they couldn't discuss it elsewhere was beyond him, and he couldn't think of anything shadier than two men dressed in business suits talking low toned by the dumpsters. He groaned when he arrived at their meet up early, and he kept his hands deep on his pockets and leaned against the rigid brick walls that seemed to stretch out for miles. There was silence apart from the city's symphony of blaring car horns and the bustling sound of life; birds chirping, people laughing, airplanes soaring, everything was distanced as he fell to his loneliness and quiet, and thus the thoughts reeled in. He tried to avoid them, he did, but he couldn't stop going back to that night and he pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

She had been at the cafe.

He remembered strumming the strings of his guitar for his usual Saturday night crowd; a great crowd honestly and he was grateful to be there. The bar was packed and the dining area crowded with a large half ring of drunken young adults surrounding his stage. He had about an hour to go before he packed things up, and a list of original songs were already under his sleeve as he began a fan favorite; he smiled to himself proudly as hoots and hollers stretched across the room. He cleared his throat and began strumming the chord to one of his favorite melodies, when towards the back of the room he heard the bartender call out a woman's name. "Oi, Levy!"

 _Levy?_ Gajeel thought immediately as everything came to a sharp halt and he turned his attention to the bartender. The man placed his hands around his mouth to make his call louder, and he leaned over the counter towards her. "Ya didn't even drink ya second drink!" He screamed out, and in that moment Gajeel felt as if the world had stopped turning. In the back he could see tuffs of blue hair peeking behind shoulders and brushing against elbows as she was sneaking out; if it even was her… could it be? Blue hair was common but the name Levy wasn't; there was no way it could be her. Had she seen him? Gajeel place his guitar aside and pushed through the wall of people who had surrounded the stage, they grunted and complained but he ignored the customers. He watched the cafe's doors push open without anyone walking in, and he quickly shoved customers aside and followed after her. He stepped out into the chilled night and looked both ways, searching desperately for the woman who had plagued his thoughts and dreams since the moment he laid eyes on her. Unfortunately, all he was left with was the abandoned streets and the flickered street lights that poured over the pitch black asphalt. There wasn't a soul in sight, and he cursed under his breath when he realized she could have been anywhere. He should have run out and tried to find her, whether he was certain the woman was the same as the one that plagued his mind.

He tore back into the cafe and towards the bar, reaching over the counter and grabbing the bartender by the collar and dragging him over the wood. "Oi," Gajeel tightened his grip on the man's collar and glared into his eyes. "That name ya just said, what was that name ya just said?!"

"Fucks sake," the bartender replied with a cough. "If it's not his horrible signing it's his brutal strength that'll fuckin' kill ya," he rolled his eyes as he turned his face away from Gajeel.

 _"I'll fucking kill you,"_ Gajeel threatened as the insult towards his music and talent was not taken lightly and he found little humor in the man's words. However, he had much more important things to worry about at this time. "Ya called out Levy, didn't ya?"

"Huh, yeah I did," the drunken man slurred as he pondered about it for a moment. He scratched his cheek and narrowed his eyes before sloppily smiling up at Gajeel. "What about it?"

"What did she look like?!" Gajeel demanded as he became more forceful with his words and he way he practically was lifting the man off the floor and over the counter. He was irritated that the bartender wasn't taking this as seriously as he was, and even with his threats and physique the bartender didn't look a bit concerned. "Blue hair, right?" Gajeel questioned. "And Short? Short as Hell?"

"Big ass?" The bartender chuckled as his face flushed from both her looks and the alcohol running through his system. "Yeah, _that_ Levy. Ran out when she saw ya. Said she was yer girlfriend."

Gajeel's eyes widened and he felt as if someone had pulled the rug out from underneath him. "Sh-she said _what_?"

"She said she was ya girlfriend, damn ya own singing made ya deaf?" The bartender ripped out of Gajeel's hold around his collar when his utter shock loosened his grip. The bartender adjusted his shirt before retrieving his drink, and he groaned when the glass retrieved was empty and only a drop fell against his parched tongue. "Hey, ya okay over there?" The bartender asked, and in his dazed and unfocused vision he could see the club's entertainer smacking a hand over his mouth and turning away, steam rising out of his head. Gajeel was blushing like mad, and he couldn't calm his racing heart beat that felt as if it could break out of his chest at the rate it was going. Wh-why would she say that?! Gajeel questioned anxiously as he felt the blush spread across his face. They'd been together a night and she was going around telling people she was his girlfriend?

 _That's so creepy,_ he thought to himself, but then his lips quickly quirked into a wide smile. _Damnit,_ he thought to himself as he smacked a hand over his mouth and firmly pressed against his face. _Why the Hell am I smilin' over somethin' stupid? Why the fuck am I so happy?_ He bit down on his lip to stop himself from becoming giddy, but it wouldn't matter once the bartender's words crashed his entire parade. "Said she didn't wanna be seen by ya," he explained. "Wonder what ya did."

Fuck! Gajeel thought to himself as he remembered he did royally fuck up what they had. He doubts anyone important would be crammed in this run down mid-town cafe; he could have had a conversation with her or at least asked how she was doing. She didn't even give him a chance! _Damn brat,_ he thought to himself bitterly, but that bitter resentment simmered into a tugging guilt that left his heart aching and his clustered mind emptied as only an image of her saddened face flashed behind his eyes. He remembered how at first he wasn't very concerned about her heartbreak for Laxus, but further into the night when he had gotten to known her better he had felt a bit upset for her; she was a sweet girl, she didn't deserve to be sad in his opinion. To know his decisions must have attributed to her pain made him deathly quiet as he contemplated further the thoughts he refused to think and pushed aside daily, and now he was relieved that he hadn't found her outside of the cafe. What would he say to her? Things were ruined, broken, and now the flattering thought of her expressing that they were an item suddenly sounded very unrealistic, and clearly the man behind the bar was drunk. She could have said anything, and given how loudly his music was playing anything could have been translated as a misunderstanding. He needed answers and the bartender was disastrously an unreliable source.

"Ya think she'll come back? This aint her first time comin' here, is it?" Gajeel asked, cautiously masking any hope that strung his desperate words.

The bartender resorted to finishing a bottle once refilling his glass became too difficult of a task. He took a swig and chuckled softly before bursting into a full out laugh. He leaned over the counter and wiped a tear with his other hand. "Oh boy, after she fell to the ground and crawled out the door? I doubt it. If it's not ya face that threw her out the building, it's ya music!" His laughter exploded out of him as Gajeel went back to ripping him over the counter by his collar and threatening his life, and realizing the man was too drunk to process fear he pushed him off and collected himself before returning to the complaining crowd. _Damn bastard,_ Gajeel growled bitterly before returning under the spotlight. He was too flabbergasted by Levy's unexpected arrival that he almost forgot the lyrics to his own songs; he had to focus, but how could he do anything other than ponder when Levy was the only thing on his mind? She was going to pay for driving him wild like this, but for now he'd have to wait until the universe placed them back together, unexpectedly like the way she crashed out the side door of the blonde's apartment, or the unexpected way he had been driven mad by her scent as he embraced her. Sudden and soft, subtle yet strong, captivating his mind like the words to a song played over and over, the beautiful melody of everything that was her, at least the version her he had gotten to know in their short spent time. He was a lost cause, and exhaling his heartbreak out he strum the chord to a love song he'd written when he didn't even know what love was, and suddenly the words grew powerful with an unknown strength in his lungs, and then he began to beautifully sing.

That night at the cafe had been the prioritized thought spinning through his mind, and an endless amount of possibilities ran through his imagination as different scenarios played out. If he had spotted Levy before she had spotted him, if they had bumped into one another, if he had chased her out of the cafe, grabbed her by the crook of her elbow or her wrist, spun her around as her wide, honey eyes widened to meet his, their faces inches apart under a melting stream of moonlight and warm orange streetlights pouring over her ivory skin. Would he have confessed to her? Confessed what, though? That he liked her? That he wanted more? That he needed her? Did he need her? Now questions bombarded his mind; he was in such a predicament as to not understanding the underlying meaning of his thoughts, emotions, he wasn't in love with the girl he had just met but absolutely infatuated. Perhaps he would have kissed her in the depths of the alleyways she had ran into, hidden in the shadows with only the two of them glowing in the darkness with their flared desire and burning passion heating their skin as they pressed together, mouths parted slight, panting into one another's necks and tasting each other's bitter misery and longing. Maybe he would have brushed the hair out of her eyes if he had caught her in the middle of the street, running fast down the darkened asphalt, a black endless sea leading to the inner city and God knows where else a young woman would fly towards if she were trying to place her past behind her. He'd catch her in his arms, embrace her, reach down and kiss her to taste her lips, the sweet or bitter alcohol that still stained her smile.

He had to see her again; he had to get his closure despite it being the last thing he wanted. Who was he kidding, trying to be friends or possibly something more with a girl like her? She wouldn't understand his profession; she wouldn't be able to handle it. When he saw her he was going to cut things off permanently, something he assumed would work out itself the moment he never returned to that small apartment. He thought she'd have gotten the idea across by now given how many months had passed by. What would he say? He wasn't sure at this point, and now he was walking slowly as he contemplated more scenarios, more preplanned responses to possible questions she may have. He was going insane, so insane that he thought he had imagined the high pitched voice calling out his name. He shook his head, must have been hearing things, until this time it practically rang in his ears.

 _"Gajeel!"_ He heard someone scream his name, and it was so awfully familiar yet he couldn't place where he's heard it from. He turned around cautiously, an evil eye peering over his broad shoulder to whoever dared call his name in public. However, his stinging glare vanished as his stare was replaced with a look of pure bewilderment as he met eyes with the vixen who had turned his iron-like heart into pathetic mush. He had been completely taken off guard by the short— and noticeably curvy, if he may add —police officer, who kept her hands pressed against her hips and her feet firmly planted on the ground. He had seen an abundance of her emotions their first and only night together; he'd seen her cry, laugh joyously, blush bashfully and her eyes fluttered as he expertly pushed all of her buttons and rocked her world— but never had he seen her so fucking _pissed_. He didn't know whether to feel slightly threatened or if he should accept the fact that seeing her so ticked off turned him on considerably. A soft blush was growing on her cheeks, and something told him deep down he wasn't going to get out of this easily.

 **A/N:** Thank you for reading! There was a sex scene at the end of this but I cut it out since I got so much negative feedback lol.. Also, your reviews are so amazing and sweet, my month is made whenever you comment, so please don't forget to leave one! (: I thank you kindly for all of your support and I can't wait to see you in the next chapter!

 **Up next:** Levy is pretty pissed lol. Gajeel finally wins Ivan's trust and is taken behind the scenes of the Mafia's grand plans—has Gajeel gotten himself into something he can't handle? After a familiar foe turns out to be a considerate frenemy, is Levy in more danger than Gajeel ever anticipated? Find out next time in chapter 6 of Cafe Rouge!


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N** : Because Gajevy's last encounter (for those who read it before it was deleted) threw a lot of people off, this is another version of the alleyway scene. It works with the plot so let me know what you think! I love you guys and thank you to everyone whose reached out to me through reviews and PMs you're very appreciated and loved!

I took the sex scene out from the alleyway and will place it further in the story _ the scene will have a note where it can be skipped for everyone who's already read it. All lemon will be towards the end of the chapters and will be separated by **XXX** brackets so people can skip over them if wanted. And no, this doesn't mean I will stop writing lemon, so don't worry!

Enjoy!

 **Chapter 6.**

 **The sun was setting in Magnolia;** although the busy streets were sunny and bustling, the cracks between the towers that kissed the skies were dimmed with shadows and those who wished to lurk under the radar; this included an array of homeless citizens, drug dealers and in this particular part of East Side Magnolia, a cold and calculated Gajeel. He was on his way to meet Aria, someone he had history with that went back nearly half a decade ago to his Phantom Lord Days. Why Aria decided to join under Ivan's rule wasn't much a shocker, given one of Magnolia's most terrorizing gangs and Ivan's league had one thing in common: they absolutely _despised_ Makarov and Laxus. Aria was one of the former gang's strongest members, he fit in quite nicely and it did help that he already mangled with the mafia so and so when Gajeel had still been acquainted with him. The bastard was cold hearted and always made Gajeel feel uneasy, and now even more so that he had become an elite and between sometime then and last November he inked his skin with Ivan's tattoo symbol, the same one that poked through Flare's white button down whenever she ran the front desk of his establishment. He hoped this meeting would be more worth his while than the other week when he dragged himself to meet Kurohebi, who discussed to him that Ivan was lying low and didn't want any visitations. Now another face of the mafia was coming for him, and he wondered why the fuck Ivan couldn't send all of these messages to him himself. Was Gajeel starting to lose the man's trust?

He checked his wrist watch, observing now that the time was a quarter until six. He paused as he felt something was off, and he turned around quickly only to be welcomed by rows of dumpsters and iron escape routes. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched, and he straightened his posture as he felt the gun underneath his clothing press against his skin. He wondered if Aria knew the truth about him and Phantom Lord, the _real_ reason why Jose Porla was swept off the streets and placed in maximum security where he damn well belonged. He wondered if Aria was aware that one of his once closely acquainted partners-in-crime, Juvia, was now a police officer for the honorable Magnolia Police Department; of course he knew. He questioned if Aria would ever go after her, but despite the man's strength he lacked intelligence, which made him a very easy puppet to control. If Ivan didn't want Juvia, Aria would have no reason to remember her and must have eventually forgotten about her. He was growing deeper and deeper into the city through the intricate paths between the buildings, he's known the streets for as long as he remembered, did both illegal and inhumane practices in these rough patches of Magnolia, the dim lit spots that even the police looked over on their patrols. It was both nostalgic and a bitter pill to swallow as he kept his eyes forward and tried to not over think it. He's come a long way in the past five years, and still he felt as if he were nothing more than a god damn—

 _-"Criminal!"_ The voice screamed out this time, and Gajeel was slapped back into reality when he stared into Levy's eyes. He was sure that he was hallucinating. After all the stress that Ivan placed on him it wouldn't have been a surprise if in the blinding sunlight pouring through the cracks of the buildings that he could have mistakenly imagined the woman that had plagued his thoughts nonstop. He'd heard her call his name behind her, looked behind his shoulder with a piercing glare that always warded off potential enemies, however it didn't last long the moment he realized it was her. _Levy._ She stared at him intensely with furrowed brows, and despite her clenched jaw and gripped fists there was something about her that was off; no, he wasn't talking about how pissed off she was, he was talking about her eyes. The light he remembered them holding had died down and had been replaced with a stare darkened with pain, they melted him where he stood and he felt his strength slowly disintegrate into mush. "You're nothing but a no-good criminal!" She affronted, and Gajeel flinched at her words and backed up a few steps when she marched over to him.

"I can't believe you, I can't believe I—!" She viciously grumbled as she closed the distance between them, and Gajeel placed his hands out reflexively in case the angered woman decided to physically harm him.

"L-Levy? What are ya doin' here?!" He asked astounded, but instead of answering his question the woman snatched his tie instead; she pulled him roughly towards him, and the fabric dug into his neck as her strength forced his head down to her eye level.

"I'll be asking the questions here, Redfox!" She replied enraged, and Gajeel's eyes widened as he almost didn't recognize the petite woman he had met that night of the party, drunken and giggling and flirtatious. She was all business, police uniform and all. He smiled lopsidedly at her, _so whaddya know, the rookie didn't turn out to shabby, he thought to himself_ , but his smile was wiped off of him when Levy jerked at his tie when she felt he weren't taking her seriously enough.

"Oi, watch it, would ya?" He grouched, just because they had a fling didn't give her the damn right to toss him around to her liking, and it was pissing him off quickly the way she she was tugging down on him. "What are ya, insane?"

"The only insane person is _you_ , strolling around in broad daylight like an innocent soul despite the heinous crimes you've committed!" She jabbed as her grip on his tie tightened, "or perhaps _I'm_ the insane one, given I was ignorant enough to sleep around with disgusting Mafia filth like you!"

"Wh-what the Hell are ya talkin' about, Shorty?" Gajeel asked incredulously; he let it slide how surprisingly painful it was to hear her say something like that to him; he reminded himself they were just words, but coming from Levy it was different, they held a sharp sting to them as her words lashed out at him with the painful strike of a whip. His eyes narrowed and Levy seethed when she assumed he was playing dumb. It made him worry that she was this angry, he wanted more than anything to calm her down, but he was caught red handed and all that was left to do was sort out the misunderstanding—only that nothing was being misunderstood. Levy was correct.

"Don't pretend you're innocent!" Levy ordered as her voice rose in octaves. "I saw you interact with Kurohebi, and whether it was small talk or what you're being brought in for questioning!"

"Like ya have the right to arrest me," Gajeel grumbled as he pulled back into his full stance, and his tie snapped out of Levy's hand when he jerked his body to the side and out of her hold.

"I have every right," Levy snapped back. "Deny all you want, I know you have information on the missing cases," she bit, and she didn't have to go into further detail. The citizens of Magnolia were beginning to go into a panic now that more and more girls were going missing in such a short amount of time. Gajeel knew about the trafficking more than anyone, and his eyes narrowed at Levy who reached for her gun. "I bet you know all about them, don't you, Gajeel?" She asked as he watched her fingers itch slowly towards the weapon on her hip. He slowly began pacing to the left in which Levy paced towards his right, and they softly side stepped around one another as she continued. "That night... that night meant nothing to you, did it?" Levy grounded out her question that made Gajeel's step hesitate. "I'm surprised I woke up in my bed and not abducted and thrown in the back of your car, or were you planning on revisiting me to finish the job?"

Gajeel stopped then, and Levy ceased in response to his sudden halt; the two of them glared at one another until they awaited the other to make the first move. Gajeel's tense shoulders slouched down as he relaxed, and to Levy's surprise his threatening glare softened into something she could only describe as pity. "So that's what ya think, Shorty? _Fine_." He reached for the weapon pressed against his hip and the stream of sunlight pouring between them in the darkened alley made the barrel gleam. "Yer right about one thing," he started, and he aimed towards her, "ya _are_ ignorant"

Levy's eyes widened when he aimed at her, and she immediately recoiled before Gajeel's next move. She immediately dropped to the ground and out of his aim before sprinting into a jump, she knew he must have been armed if he were in the mafia, but she didn't expect him to pull out and attack on her this quickly. She was more taken aback that he didn't pull the trigger on her, but instead he charge at her, and Levy bristled up when she learned he was going for one on one physical combat. Had this man no shame? He was going to use his size and strength to his advantage, and countless flashbacks clicked in Levy's mind at all the years she spent learning her tactical defensive training, she was going to have to work extra hard against an opponent like him. That or she could aim fire at him and kill him before he could hurt her. The gun rose in her hand, and she realized she wouldn't have the answers she needed if the wound to his chest were to be fatal. She hesitated and Gajeel closed the space between her, his hands reached out toward her and the adrenaline in her made her snap.

 _Remember what Juvia taught you,_ a small voice crept from the back of Levy's mind, and as Gajeel reached to grab her, she immediately rose her elbow and slammed it against his forearms, dropping his grip on her shoulders; his eyes widened momentarily, and before he could process what she was doing she spun around; her hip twisted and her leg shot up as the heel of her boot slammed into his jaw. The hit completely took him off guard, and Gajeel staggered back and spat the blood out that collecting after the force of her attack, he sent a deathly glare that made Levy's already heightened adrenaline pump drastically as she prepared for his next move. Gajeel was impressed, the rookie was good, as expected from someone who trained vigorously with Juvia and took her profession seriously. Juvia wasn't someone to mess with, he remembered her cold and lonesome days in Phantom when she appeared to have a rain cloud following her wherever she went, she wasn't warm hearted and he's witnessed countless acts of her crimes, the blood on her hands and the dull blank stare to her eyes; he couldn't imagine her being kind to Levy and having enough patience to train her, but the _rain woman_ as they called her back in the gang had softened up considerably. She's changed, and in response to this new life she had created quite the little prodigy, a small officer that could pack a punch especially when underestimated.

 _Good hit,_ Gajeel complimented her but didn't speak it aloud, but he wasn't gonna let her get another one in. The last thing Gajeel wanted to do was fight her, he couldn't imagine even considering it, but the feisty police officer wasn't going to back down so easily. Levy's determination was on fire now that she landed some damage on him, and she seethed as she launched herself at him with precision, planning out her attacks before making them. She had a good head on her shoulders; she didn't fight recklessly like the countless opponents Gajeel had taken down. His already established respect for her increased tenfold after seeing her fight, and although he could still take her out easily, it was comforting in a sense to know that she could at least defend herself.

"I'm not the damsel in distress I was when you first met me," She jabbed, just as his palm caught another one of her hits. He smirked in response, the corner of his lip tilting upwards and that was all it took to piss her off even more, and she threw another attack. Levy was right, she definitely wasn't the girl needing saving like her crying turned her out to be, and as Gajeel danced around her attacks he felt as though he were the one really being fooled here. Seeing her like this was something he never anticipated, and honestly he liked this tough side of her. Levy swooped under Gajeel's attack, angrier than ever given all he was doing was dodging her throws and side-stepping her moves. However, he had no interest in fighting back. In actuality Gajeel refused to hit her, and he winced when he had no choice but to grab her by the wrist tightly, otherwise they'd be doing this all day or until the poor girl wore herself out. He hoped the pressure in his grasp wouldn't be enough to cause her pain, and his eyes softened sadly when he saw the distressed look in her eyes when she was caught. Levy gasped as she fell victim to his trap, and the shock made her fight or flight mode stagger as she went blank before thinking of her next defense move; it was too late even if she did recall it given that Gajeel was clearly trained in fighting as well, and he expertly spun her around and slammed her back against his chest. She was pinned against him so quickly she didn't even see it happen, and Levy squirmed in his hold only for him to hold onto her tighter, and before she could scream out in protest Gajeel's hand wrapped around her mouth tightly.

 _"Ehhhht ooo ffff mmmm!"_ Levy forced the words _let go of me_ out her throat but they muffled past the barricade of his fingers. Gajeel hooked his arm behind her elbows and kept her arms secure behind her back, Levy kicked vigorously as she tried to free herself from his hold, and sirens blasted through her mind as she panicked when she couldn't escape his grasp. Levy tried everything in her power to break free, but when Gajeel's lips reached her ear she fell completely still.

 _"Someone's here,"_ He hushed to her, and Levy quit her squirming just in time for her to see a shadow growing larger and larger on the cobblestones, right at the T-shape part of the alleyway where their path stopped perpendicular with the alleyway going another direction. Gajeel pressed himself against a wall and hid the two of them behind a dumpster, and although she was pressed firmly against him Levy could make out the figure of the almost impossibly large man that walked slowly past their opening alleyway.

 _"He's late, Lord He is late,"_ the man's deep voice came out with a saddened lull, as if he had just finished crying or was beyond exhausted. "So sorrowful, so, so, sorrowful. It's too sorrowful, where does this sorrow come from?" The man wept, and as tears trailed down his face Levy felt her heart flip as well as her eyebrows furrow in absolute concern. If crying in the middle of the streets wasn't weird, talking out loud to himself was downright crazy. He passed the mouth of the alley and Levy's eyes almost popped out of her head as the man's tatted mafia symbol stretched over his wide bicep in clear daylight. These people really had no concern for their privacy and really couldn't care less if Magnolia or its authority knew that the mafia was circling the city. The mafia in her experience was usually so under the radar, and the fact that these jerks just walked around so openly and confidently taunted her on no end. They were definitely all a bunch of nut jobs. "The master will not like this," the large man sighed, and he disappeared behind the wall.

 _Not fucking good,_ Gajeel thought to himself as he tensed up, and his teeth gritted when he knew Aria would definitely let Ivan know that Gajeel hadn't shown up. If he could escape Levy somehow maybe he'd still be able to encounter Aria, but there was still the large possibility that the brat would come after him and get herself killed just for witnessing their exchange in messages from the big boss— that was the luckier scenario, the worst case would be she'd fuck up so badly Gajeel would be six feet under right there with her. He'd have to let Aria go this time, and he wondered how he was going to regain Ivan's trust. The two of them stayed pressed against one another until Gajeel was for certain the coast was clear, and the moment his grip loosened the slightest Levy catapulted out of his orbit. Gajeel watched as she backed away across the alley and as far from him as she could.

"Huh, so much for denying your association with the mafia, how did you know that guy was coming?" She challenged as she pointed a finger at him accusingly.

Gajeel stared at her grimly and placed his hands in his pockets. "I sensed a potential threat and hid us, that's it. I ain't got no business with your mafia bullshit—,"

"I'm not as stupid as you think I am, Gajeel!" Levy swore as she broke past the space she had created between them. "If you think I'm gonna stand here and let you waste my time you've got another thing coming— I'm tired of doing things the easy way with you!" She grabbed his tie once more and Gajeel succumbed to the way she pulled him down to her eye level. "You're under arrest!"

"Hmph," he replied as kept his face low to hers. "Yer right, Shorty, yer not stupid. Pretty damn clever, honestly." There was a flash of light in his eyes and Levy's grip tightened as the makeshift compliment made her chest tighten. That said light vanished as he glared coldly back at her, "Ya want the truth, fine."

Levy didn't wipe the determined look off her face; her grip tightened around his tie as she anticipated what he was going to tell her. Gajeel leaned forward and right into Levy's face; the young officer squared her shoulders and sent him a scorching glare, but Gajeel overlooked it.

"The truth is ya ain't have no fuckin' idea what yer gettin' yer damn self into. Ya have no fuckin' common sense knowing I'm a damn well threat to both yer safety _and_ yer career and yet ya still keep tryin' to bombard me with yer little city cop bullshit! In other words, ya can stop followin' me around!"

Levy's heart beat sped up when she realized what he was referring too, and quickly she denied it. "Wh-what are you—,"

"Ya think I ain't seen ya last week, lurkin' around watchin' me at the show?" He confronted whilst pushing her against the brick wall that she had backed herself into. "Ya think by now ya'd get the idea and stay the Hell away from me!"

"You don't have to tell me that given I want nothing to do with you, trust me!" Levy bit out, reflecting the daggers Gajeel sent her and aimed them right back in his direction, to his misfortune they cut deeply. Levy pushed the two of them back to her original topic, "I shouldn't have to explain myself, you're under arrest!"

Gajeel overlooked her threat and his response made Levy stiffen up intensely. "Yer gonna get yerself killed," His eyes slowly scanned her and beneath the sleeve of her shirt was a rough, rigid scar steal healing from the fight that kurohebi was involved in. He wasn't provided many details, only that one of the female officers was injured, and it was clearly described to him which officer had taken the damage. "Almost did the last time, didn't ya?" He asked bitterly, referring to the faded scar tracing over the end of her eyebrow. Through Levy's blinded rage she didn't notice the way Gajeel's piercing glare flinched with a worrisome pain, and that the truth was the last thing he wanted was for Levy to be in danger. "Is that what ya want?" He asked. "If it only took one measly police officer to take down the mafia then they wouldn't have gotten this far."

"I'm _not_ a measly officer," Levy defended with a snap.

"It don't matter if yer the best of the best," Gajeel grounded. "Ya want the truth, kid? If ya were to run into any other mafia member ya insides woulda been painting these alleyways before you could even think about trying to arrest them," He glared.

"Oh yeah?" Levy asked, completely impacted by his words and feeling the amplifying anger reside in her with resentment, "If that's the case why haven't you done it already? What's stopping you? Funny, I didn't think you'd be this weak." Levy's words dripped venom that sunk into his skin with a sharp sting.

Gajeel's eyes narrowed at her taunting words, and feeling more exhausted than usual, he shook his head side to side. _"Stay the Hell away from me,"_ he warned, and he pushed off of her and broke away from the scene. Levy gasped as she tore after him, but by the time she made it to the intersection he disappeared from, the man was nowhere to be seen. It was impossible for him to vanish so quickly, unless he shot up into the sky like a damn superhero. She couldn't believe he managed to escape in five seconds, and she cursed herself as she ran to her full speed down a long alleyway that eventually led out into the crowded streets of Magnolia. Aside from Levy's knowledge, Gajeel had perfected his form of stealth and escaping, it was all part of his job when it came to gathering information for Ivan. He was a spy after all, and he watched as Levy's small form rushed passed the opening way he was covering at. He felt his heart break and a piece of it ran after the small woman that disappeared into the traffic of the city, and now in the alleyways he felt empty and incomplete. Her words stung as they remained in his veins, coursing up through his mind and replaying like an everlasting echo as her sharp replies chanted through his mind.

 _It's for ya own good, Shorty,_ he thought to himself sadly as he began walking the opposite direction. His shoulder slumped heavily as he sighed and placed her behind him, wishing desperately he could clear the misunderstanding between them. That night meant the world to him, but for no he'd have to keep that to himself, and his heart ached considerably in which he numbed his feelings and set them aside.

 **Surprisingly, an ecstatic Levy was in the** best mood she's been in months despite her arrogant little culprit escaping earlier that day. Her bright and chipper attitude had thrown everyone in the office off, now that the storm clouds that were dangerously close to being a permanent aura of hers had cleared up like the clear blue skies outside the department's floor-to-ceiling windows, and she shun brightly with a smile that made even the sunshine pouring through the glass envious. She hummed to herself as she fixed herself a cup of coffee and relished in the way the mug warmed her cold hands, she couldn't stop smiling to herself, however it was an evil smile as she relished on her twisted schemes that would successfully rank her up in her career. Gajeel had gotten away, but that wasn't anything too drastic for her given things took time, and revenge was a platter best served cold. She chuckled excitedly as she knew she had him right where she wanted. All she needed was to get him alone when he was most vulnerable and least expecting it, and with a twenty dollar bill slid across the wooden grain of the counter separating her and the sobered up bartender she met the week before, she had the perfect opportunity to confront Gajeel of his crimes.

The bartender, Bacchus, sneered at her as he cleaned a small drinking glass with a white dish rag. He sighed and shrugged his shoulders at Levy, "and just when I thought I was starting to like ya," he mumbled disappointedly as he slipped the twenty from the counter and subtly curled it under his fingers and hid it deep in his pockets when no one was around. "Ya can't be serious," he mumbled, and then walked around the bar purposely avoided looking in Levy's direction. In the still, quiet setting of the bar which was considerably empty around eleven a.m, he immediately tore down the fliers and advertisements that vandalized the cafes interior walls and exterior windows. "Your boyfriend is full of shit," Bacchus called out, and Levy blushed vividly at the misunderstanding. "Ya don't have to go to this extent, I'm sure ya coulda just told him ya were jealous of him having girls flaunting around him—," but Bacchus was interrupted when Levy snatched the paper from his hand and shoved it into her bag.

"It's not like that!" She bit out, glowing red and horridly flustered.

Now she was reading the flier, and she groaned at how degrading the whole ordeal was. On the flier read the Cafe's name and the advertisement asking for personal dancers. Not _those_ kind of dancers, but if Gajeel couldn't have been any more ridiculous than his little white-suit brimmed-hat get up was, the need for backup dancers swaying to his offbeat music was the icing on the cake. It's for the sake of Magnolia, Levy reminded herself when in fine print at the bottom corner of the page promised the singer himself would provide the outfits given the night of the first show, Levy had no idea what she was going to have to squeeze herself into. Hopefully it wasn't too tacky for the sake of her dignity, and she hoped to God that it wasn't something improper; Levy folded the flier into a square and tucked it into her back pocket for safe keeping. It would only be for one night, after all. She sighed to herself as she leaned against the counter. Bacchus was right; Gajeel was full of sh—-

"What are you smiling for?" Cana asked as she crossed Levy and made her way to the fridge pushed in the corner. Levy hadn't even heard her partner come in, and she choked on her coffee slightly when she realized she was in the break room laughing to herself like an idiot.

"Oh nothing," Levy chirped with a bright smile that made Cana's eyebrow arch. The truth behind her smile was that Levy had everything figured out. She'd confront Gajeel while he's preparing to go on stage; she'd arrest him and call Cana if necessary. He'd be taken so off guard and won't be able to escape so easily. Levy couldn't have thought of a more perfect plan, especially since she had no idea about Gajeel's whereabouts outside of his weekend shows.

"Something tells me you're up to no good," Cana chimed with a grin, and she retrieved the Chinese takeout from the second level and propped the top open. She stabbed her cold left overs with a plastic fork and with a slightly full mouth began making small talk. "Ugh, today is such a drag. I could definitely go for a drink right now." She leaned against the counter and played with her food a little before eating, tossing the takeout side to side with her fork. "How's parking tickets going?"

"Great!" Levy cheered happily. Cana furrowed her brows and immediately looked up from her lo mein, and Levy realized her enthusiasm for the job she dreaded most was out of character. She scolded herself for sounding so suspicious, and quickly she waved a hand at Cana and smile embarrassedly. "Great as in _horrible,_ " Levy rolled her eyes as she implied she was speaking out with sarcasm, and luckily enough that was persuading enough for her partner. "I gave a few tickets out today and now I'm taking it a little easy. Gonna go back out in half an hour."

"I'm glad things aint as bad as they could be," Cana smiled warmly. Cana nodded before returning to her meal, and thus she began her story telling of how she got a fender-bender by some ' _drunken asshole that didn't even have a damn license_ ,' and then tried to evade getting arrested by bribing her with a date, all sexual intentions implied. She didn't get paid enough for this, and God what she'd do to change out of her uniform and go day drinking for the rest of the afternoon. Levy listened intently, but a part of her felt a little bad for lying to Cana. The truth was that Levy met her monthly quota a week ago and could be lenient with her patrol.

The parking duty assigned to her last week actually turned out great for her in the end, something she otherwise would have been bitter about given she's healed from her injuries and Laxus still hasn't put her back on the job. Laxus was the last thing she's been worrying about, and with the free times she's had during her patrols and going solo not to mention it, Levy's spent majority of her work hours tracking down Gajeel's whereabouts and other members of the mafia. After the course of about a week she's found a few of their typical meet up points, and at this rate maybe she'd be able to find out more on the missing cases. She was aware everything she was risking; her career, her safety— even her life, but the experienced officers given the task had been surprisingly lazy about their duty. It's as if all of them had just given up, and with six months stretching since the outbreak of abductions had become an epidemic in Magnolia, the importance and eagerness had flopped the elder officers as they lounged around the common room, told jokes or discussed their golfing plans for the weekend. It's like all of them had lost hope, and the commotion that blasted through the station when Wendy and Chelia were found died down within two and a half hours.

Long story short, Levy knew no one was going to take charge at this case, not even Cana who followed the rules stricter than she'd ever like to admit. Cana continued talking about her day, laughed to herself a few times and then shoved the lo mein aside as she took a swig of something strong. Levy softly sipped at her drink as she thought about all the things she's found out so far. On her off days she'd go undercover, keeping her weapons concealed beneath her clothes as she crossed the busy streets of Magnolia with a pair of shades to keep her somewhat disguised but not painfully obvious. She still grew excruciatingly nervous whenever she passed by Laxus or his favorites, given the morning before Levy had snuck in the central office to run up Gajeel's personal record when Evergreen went on her lunch break. She had anticipated something juicier, horrendous pressed charges or him being reported to have escaped prison or something, but to her underwhelming surprise all she discovered were speeding tickets from his late teens. He looked so much different on his criminal record, and a photo of Gajeel glaring into the camera with hair cut short to his shoulders could be seen; he had significantly less piercings that made him appear younger. Levy's heart leapt as she found herself gazing at what must have been an outdated photo from when he barely brushed his twenties, and something about him was oddly familiar yet she just couldn't place her tongue on it. Her thumb ran across the computer screen and her eyes focused on the young man in the photo— where had she seen him before? Clearly it was Gajeel, but the younger version of him had a softer, rounder face, and despite his scowl it was clear there was an innocent tilt to his eyes that shun and showed his youth. He looked like a different person almost, and yet she couldn't help but find him so familiar...

She heard a shift behind the door and leapt to her feet immediately, and as she hid behind the filing cabinets it took several minutes before Evergreen became lost on a phone call and Levy could crash out of her office before being seen. Perhaps maybe Gajeel _was_ being honest with her that day in the alleyway, and that evidently he had no idea what she was talking about. That or he was lying right through his teeth, and until she knew the truth his potential answer were just going to have to do. By Saturday night she'd have her answer, and that gave her two days until she knew for certain if Gajeel could be a great help in cracking this case. It's almost as if Laxus didn't _want_ to solve the case; he wasn't scared, was he? Levy looked down at her mug sadly, she wished more than anything she could ask the man himself, but her thoughts wafted away when Cana threw her arms in the air.

"Ugh, are you even listening to me?" Cana groaned as she tucked her flask back into her shirt. "For being the smartest girl in the department you're such an _airhead._ "

"No wait, I was listening I swear!" Levy pushed away from the counter and ran up to Cana with guilty eyes.

"What did I just say?" Cana glared from behind her shoulder, in which all Levy could respond with was a nervous chuckle and rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

 **The sun was settling in Magnolia,** and the darkening sky morphed as sunrise clashed with the consuming night; shades of orange and pink mixed with deep blues as night was blanketing over the city. From the shotgun window he trained his eyes on the skyscrapers all cluttered together in one big heap, with city traffic and the river wrapping around it to keep all the residents safely in. From the vehicle he could spot his home, one of the towers kissing the clouds towards the coast of the river, and the building's lit up windows twinkled like stars in the dark, with couples or families or lonely bastards like him settling down for the evening. Each lit window represented a life, a family member, someone who was _cared_ about; the thought relaxed him as his situation left him feeling vulnerable and tense. He didn't like this; he didn't like the escort Ivan had sent for him, as if Gajeel wasn't capable of getting around himself, and it didn't help that he was already prone to being car sick, he felt the nausea rise up his throat like bile, but he remained still and calm so the driver wouldn't think anything suspicious of him.

"Where ya takin' me?" Gajeel asked from the backseat, but the driver kept his eyes on the road and remained silent. "Oi, I'm talkin' to ya," Gajeel grounded out, in which a pair of irritated eyes flashed at him from the rearview mirror.

"Ivan's orders, that's all I can say," the man responded coldly, giving no room for conversation, not that Gajeel preferred any. Ivan's orders could have met anything, and in the back of his mind he wondered if the car would end up pulling into an empty lot of another warehouse or perhaps an abandoned building, a storage unit— maybe the middle of nowhere with only weeds and rough, cracked dirt; he wouldn't be surprised if the moment he stepped out a group of Ivan's would be waiting for him, armed and ready. Would he be killed the moment he stepped out the vehicle or would he have a chance to fight? Ivan enjoyed a show, he loved stories just as much, and most likely he'd wish to hear the tale of Gajeel fighting off a group of his men, just because that sort of thing always entertained the man's sick ego. Was he riding towards his grave? Oddly, he didn't feel that nervous, any normal person would have been terrified, yet he felt relaxed and leaned against the cushioned sears as he trained his eyes out the window. The water sparkled underneath the moonlight, and it was the last thing he saw until they reached a lengthy tunnel, and the scenic view disappeared after that and didn't return for the remainder of the car ride.

It wasn't as shabby on the inside as it looked on the out; in fact, if anything it looked more like a government building and not some shady shit hole like he had expected. The lot was built towards Magnolia's outer rural areas towards the mountains; they were on the opposite side of the city now, miles away from the river and more inland. The narrow corridor reminded him of a hospital setting with the speckled white tiles and cell-like rooms for patients; what lied behind those doors were mysteries he'd never solve, and he kept his hands to his sides and his head up as two men guarded him down the hall.

"Does every newcomer get this special treatment or do ya guys just like me?" He asked with a smirk, but both men- the large, silent man with the clock from behind him and the weird short one leading the way- were unresponsive to his jab. Gajeel wondered how long it would be until they arrived to where they were going, where Ivan was most importantly. The further they walked the more it took for Gajeel to remember his surroundings; it's not like there were an abundance of directional signs, just basic room numbers, and the lights grew dimmer the deeper they went in the facility. He kept his face straight and ignored the man following closely at his heel; the fucker gave him the creeps. As they passed an intersection Gajeel caught a glimpse of long, green hair to his left; from there he could see just a fragment of a young feminine frame walking by with their head slumped down, wrists bound behind their back and a guard escorting them roughly. The girl disappeared behind a corner before he could get a full view. He stopped walking momentarily only for the escort behind him to smack into his back.

"Keep moving," he ordered.

A vein popped out of the middle of Gajeel's forehead from being ordered around. However, he knew better than to pick a fight at a time like this and kept on moving. He did as he was told and further followed the bastard leading him to Ivan, his fingers itched to take the two men out, he didn't take it kindly how they sent looks at one another and treated him as if he wasn't there, and it definitely didn't rub him nicely how they degrading overlooked him. If it were his way he'd have the two of them in body bags before he even entered the facility, but now he was in unknown territory that made him considerably uneasy. He wished the circumstances were different; if these were measly thugs from the streets, or even a gang like Phantom Lord was, he'd have no hesitation taking on all of these damn bastards. However, Ivan was a different story and Gajeel had a job to do, so he remained cooperative. The first man came to a halt at a bolted door with the room number 0253. Gajeel arched a brow at the man.

"What about it? Why would Ivan be in there?" He asked suspiciously.

"Sir Ivan is not yet ready to see you," the hunched back man replied. "However, there is someone he wishes for you to speak with. She is behind this door."

"She?" Gajeel asked; just as the tall silent man that had escorted him from behind scanned a card that caused the door to automatically slide open with a series of mechanical beeps. The room was pitch black until the light spilled in from the hallway and illuminated a small frame that was balled up with her legs tucked to her chest and her face pressed against her knees. She bolted up when she heard the door open, and when her eyes met Gajeel's a deepening fear took over her expression as she grew sickly white, and her loud terrorized shriek filled the hallway.

 _"No, no!"_ She shrilled as she kicked backwards on all fours to place distance between her and the men. Her body hit the cold, cinderblock walls and she sobbed and wept into her hands. "Get away from me! _Get away!_ " She screamed, and her entire body shook to the core as she swatted the air in front of her only to then resort to tightly hugging herself.

Gajeel grit his teeth down to stop his mouth from flying open with shock. He neutralized his face and kept a stern, stoic expression that he knew wouldn't give out what he was thinking. "What did she do?" He asked, and he looked down to see the previous "receptionist" from Ivan's tower. Flare Corona, the most wanted woman in Fiore, was naked and bounded with chains binding on her ankles and wrists. She tried to back up some more, but the chains sprouting from the middle of the floor bit back as they tightened and kept her in place.

"She failed one of Ivan's orders," the hunched man snickered, and he smoothed back his shiny blonde hair as his eyes took into great detail of Flare's curved and toned body. Gajeel refused to look at her like that, he wasn't that kind of man, and she made sure to tuck her knees in to make sure he wouldn't have been able to see her body even if he wanted to. "Two of our girls got rescued by the police; Flare was in charge of them."

"The dark haired one..." Gajeel's eyes narrowed, well aware of the outbreak that happened with the recent abductions of Wendy and Chelia; he had kept a long look out for them considering they were ready for shipment next week, and that information alone could explain why Ivan was significantly furious; they'd already been sold but not shipped, and therefore he wouldn't be receiving his money. It sickened Gajeel how easily they tossed around humans, as if their lives weren't worth more than a few slips of paper. He turned away and refused to look at Flare in her state, that's least respect he could give the pitifully degraded woman.

The man chuckled, "so you've heard."

Flare sobbed into her hands as she pushed herself into a corner, and Gajeel noted the poorly wrapped bandage securing around her thigh. However, her injuries weren't the first thing he noticed; her long hair that she took extra pride in had been chopped roughly to her shoulders, and her face was already bruising from a fresh beating and she was beginning to swell. Gajeel knew he should do something, but how? How could he help her? If he took her to the police she'd be sentenced for life, and it's not like he could justify any of his actions for turning her in to Ivan. It wouldn't make sense, but if she remained here God knows what would happen to her. "What's going to happen to her?" Gajeel questioned.

"Ivan's still deciding whether or not we should traffic her or torture her," the man explained. "The master seems to be having a bad day, I hope he considers both."

"I see," Gajeel mumbled. "Leave us, then," Gajeel ordered and his mouth twisted into a sinister grin that sent chills up Flare's spine, and she cowered and trembled like an abused dog in the corner as she stared lifelessly at Gajeel.

"Please, no," she mouthed although no sound came from her voice, only silent, terrified tears.

"Please make yourself comfortable, Gajeel," the shortened man suggested from the door. "I'm sure the master would find no shame in that, it's all she's good for at this point."

"I just want to know more about the pests she ran into, those damned officers," Gajeel hands tightened into fists, and his knuckles popped loudly as flexed them. "And then maybe if I like what I hear, we'll go from there..." His voice held a suggestive tone that didn't necessarily promise anything, but it was enough to make Flare's teeth chatter and for her to whimper considerably.

"We'll come back to you when Ivan is ready," the blonde man nodded. And he bowed his head before motioning to the silent escort to follow after him. Flare panicked as she saw the men close the door behind Gajeel, and lord knew what the man wanted from her. She began screaming and begging for mercy, and as the light disappeared in the room she clawed and kicked everything around her in pure panic; she shrilled when something landed on her, and when the light switch was clicked on she found Gajeel's over coat thrown over her lap.

 _This is..._ she thought to herself silently, and she looked up to find Gajeel in a dark T-shirt with his back facing her. "For fucks sake, put it on." He ordered, and he sounded distressed and irritated.

Her trembling hands worked slowly as she laced her arms through the arm holes of the jacket twice her size, and it did great effort in concealing her for the most part. Gajeel hesitated for a few minutes before turning around slowly, and when he saw Flare had covered herself up, he began walking towards her.

She flinched violently, but Gajeel held out his hands as he crouched down in front of her. "I ain't gonna hurt ya," he started, but Flare still kept her arms in front of her face and cried behind them. Now that he was up close and it the right lighting, he could see the bruises discoloring her skin, the blood that had dried over, her swollen, busted lip and her matted dark hair. Anger ignited in him but he remained calm, and all that he could do was speak to her in the calmest voice he could, which was challenging for him. Gajeel wasn't soft, only for Levy could he be that gentle, and Shorty was the entire reason he was here in the first place. "I'm not interested in…" He struggled for the words and exhaled deeply. "I ain't that kinda man," he promised, and Flare's eyes shot open as she stared back to believe Gajeel's genuine promise. She lowered her guard and stared at him blankly.

"Then what do you want from me?" She asked miserably.

"The officers that rescued the girls... their lives are in danger now, aren't they?" He asked her, and then her eyes widened with understanding, before she slowly nodded.

Flare looked at him sadly before nodding slowly. "Ivan wants to murder the girls that I couldn't pick off myself," she explained, "said they're a nuisance for interfering with our product."

"Who were the officers?" Gajeel pressed, although he was sure he already knew the answer.

Flare twiddled with her thumbs, whenever she was deep in thought she'd twirl her long hair around her fingers, and she kept reaching for her locks out of force of habit, only to grasp at the air instead, and each time she did so her lip quivered pitifully. "The blondie," Flare croaked. "They're after blondie."

Gajeel nodded softly. "Who else?"

Flare's eyes sharpened as she recalled the memories. "There was a blue haired one, shoulder length hair, short. She stabbed me and called for backup. She's the reason I'm in here…"

Gajeel's breathing hollowed as he knew immediately who she was talking about. It was blatantly obvious, and he knew Levy was in close relationship with Lucy, so it wouldn't be a surprise if the two of them bumped paths during a job. That also explained the scan running past her arm, and the injury cutting through her eyebrow. "She's the one who found the girls," Flare continued. "Kurohebi reported it to Ivan, and…"

"And what?" Gajeel pressed.

"Ivan wants her dead, but that's only if she's lucky…" Flare started.

Gajeel nodded slightly then, and a lump rose in his throat. "Flare… why are ya telling me this?"

She smiled at him pitifully then, and she glanced away momentarily. "I know you like the girl—the blue haired one— _Levy_ ," she purred her name, and her fingers traced over the gauze still wrapped around her thigh. When her eyes flashed back to Gajeel, she wasn't surprise to see him grow deeply pale despite how carefully he kept his expressions leveled. To Flare, even a man cold as steel like Gajeel was quite transparent to her, and she pitied him more than anything for the predicament that he was in. Before Gajeel could deny, Flare pressed further, and her hands tightened over the jacket he lent her as she adjusted herself into a more comfortable, relaxed position. "You have a thing for the little girl I was supposed to murder in cold blood," she replied coolly. "I was given the job to assassinate Levy," she explained slowly. "And when I failed that task I was sentenced to my death, which of now is still undecided."

"Ya ignored my question," Gajeel reminded her grimly. "Ya ain't tell me why yer givin' me this information. How does it do ya any good, tellin' me this?"

Flare smiled weakly when she was questioned. She was going to die anyway, it didn't matter what she said now. "Perhaps it's because I feel bad for her. She was so pathetically _weak,_ " she grimaced. "I hope she's feeling better, poor girl." She smiled coyly as the thought of death didn't disturb her like it should have, perhaps she should have been more distressed, yet the idea intrigued her.

"Yer a cold hearted murderer who's been in this business for years," Gajeel reminded, a simmering heat of anger burned deeply in his chest when she talked down Levy. "And yer tellin' me all of a sudden ya got a damn change of heart? Ya would have tormented her if ya had the chance, don't lie about yer concern for her." he reprimanded.

"Hmph," Flare smirked towards him. "To be outwitted by a crying baby like her… how embarrassing."

Gajeel ignored that. "Why did you join the mafia? Why did ya waste your strength and skill with Ivan?" He questioned, and it was the same interrogation that Lily had hammered him with when they first met, he couldn't understand why anyone in their right mind would be insane enough to follow the orders of Jose, but Gajeel had his answers and understood them. He didn't understand Flare's.

"You think I asked for this?" She laughed incredulously, every last bit of restraint in her snapping. "I didn't choose this life, I'm not proud of the things I've done. _Look at me_ ," she whimpered, and her voice grew weak as she reflected on her short lived life. "I'm just another one of Ivan's pawns, useless and replaceable. I didn't want any of this!" She exclaimed, and her fingers trembled as her nails dug into the jacket covering her. "I was kidnapped a long time ago, I know the cruelty of trafficking, I know what happens when you're nothing but a number—a _slave_ , and something this system taught me was that you're either the victim or the criminal. I was tired of suffering and made my choice. I did what I had to do to stay alive!" She screamed out, and right when she expected the tears to pour out of her they didn't, she was numb to it all, perhaps she was used to the pain, or maybe she had shriveled up into a monstrosity that lacked emotion; that kind of thing happened when you roamed with Ivan's gang for too long. Her distressed look morphed into a blank stare, and her vision went to the weapon concealed behind Gajeel's shirt.

"Kill me," she ordered, and when his lips pressed into a firm line and he swallowed roughly, Flare repeated herself. _"Kill me,"_ she ordered again, eagerly this time. "Why return to being a slave or remain being tortured for days until my execution, when you have all the power and right to kill me right now, end my misery," she explained, and that eerie smile twisted against her face again.

Gajeel refused, "Flare—,"

"You don't get it, do you?" She asked as she cut him off. "Every corner of Fiore has my face on a wanted poster. Even if I did get out of here alive what would be waiting for me?" Her eyes swelled up with tears when Gajeel remained silent. "There's not really much of a choice for me; it's either prison for life or being tortured and killed off in this _Hell_. Neither sounds very appealing."

Gajeel wished there was something he could say differently. Flare was a victim to Ivan's schemes, she wasn't in control of her actions, but it didn't rid the blood from her hands. She murdered countless police officers, innocent civilians, abducted children off the streets, teetered with the drugs circulating the city—she's done every horrible scheme in the book, there was no justifying that. All Gajeel could do was feel sorry for her and agree with her perspective that there truly was nothing left for her.

"I should have killed her, I should have killed her and saved myself," Flare admitted coldly, and like a light switch turned on a twisted personality rose to the surface as her head bowed forward, her cropped hair concealing her face as she chuckled sinisterly. "I-I don't want to die," She admitted teary eyed, and she bit down on her quivering bottom lip before it churned into her usual twisted smile. She fell into a fit of laughter and Gajeel looked away when he found the woman had been pushed to her limits and was having a complete and total breakdown. Gajeel rose to his feet and backed away from her, a sudden anger forming over him at her words. He heard the door unlock behind him, and the heavy metal slid to the right but he didn't turn around to see who was behind him. Flare's head whipped back to reveal her laughing hysterically, tears rushing out of her eyes and the jacket slipping off her shoulders, the pressure of everything had rushed to her head, and she seethed as her anger and betrayal got the best of her. _"She ruined my_ _life! I should have killed her when I had the chance! I would have loved to see her putrid face when I murdered her with my bare hands, that stupid, little, bi-!"_

Gajeel flinched when a gun was shot from behind him, and bullet ripped through Flare's chest and her blood splattered against the cinderblocks behind her. She remained knelt down for a few seconds, before her body slumped lifelessly to the side. A puddle of dark red blood seeped underneath her, staining Gajeel's jacket and growing ever so slightly as it stretched towards his shoes. The splattered blood, which was scorching in comparison to his ice-cold skin, landed in a few specks along his face, and his breathing grew rigid at the violence he witnessed firsthand.

"Goodness…" The cold voice crept behind his shoulder, and Ivan stepped inside the room as he held his gun to the side. "Women never know when to shut up," Ivan grumbled and his footsteps consumed the empty void of silence where Gajeel's response was meant to fill. "What a shame, she used to be so prestigious, and it's pitiful that she turned out to be such a disappointment."

"Disappointment..? She was one of yer best…" Gajeel mumbled in a trance as he tried to process the betrayal of it all; if Ivan could easily kill of Flare, than all of those working under him were better off dead. Although, he was sure they were all aware of that risk. _She was one of yer most loyal and ya tortured her… why..?_ Gajeel thought to himself as he turned around to see Ivan holding him at gun point. The man squeezed one eye shut as he aimed right between Gajeel's eyebrows. His tongue flicked across his bottom lip as he smiled anxiously. "I wonder what you would look like Gajeel…" His eyes softened as he fantasized the sight. "I bet your blood would be a beautiful shade of red and not this dark, dirty mess rushing out of her." His finger flicked over the trigger of his gun as he kept his gun aimed, and with an amused smirk enjoyed the way Gajeel's expression remained calm as if he wasn't the least worried about his life. "Tell me Gajeel… does this make you want to leave? Do you plan on betraying me, too?" Ivan's question made Gajeel wonder if perhaps Flare had done more to displease her boss, and as he figured out the right word to say Ivan aimed and fired, only for the bullet to crash into the blocks behind him. Clearly Ivan missed on purpose, and Gajeel glared deeply into him as he wasn't even fazed. This made Ivan snicker, Gajeel was truly interesting to him. "I'm only teasing you, Gajeel, please lighten up for once. You're really killing the mood in here." Ivan lowered his weapon and sent Gajeel a cheeky grin before turning around to leave.

"Why did ya call me here for?" Gajeel asked, and his hands tightened into fists as he expected the worse.

"Someone needed to replace Flare," Ivan started off briefly with a simple tone as if he had fired his inefficient employee instead of murdering her moments before.

"Heh, yer makin' me a damn receptionist?" Gajeel questioned, feeling more insulted than anything.

"Don't be silly," Ivan grinned. "I need you to finish the job Flare couldn't handle. A sweet little police officer like her shouldn't have been that hard of a challenge. I'm sure it would be a breeze for someone like you, Gajeel."

Gajeel's shoulders tensed up. "With pleasure, sir."

Ivan smiled, "you're excused then, Nullpudding will escort you out. I'm proud of you Gajeel." He stopped in his tracks, "As for the blonde…" He continued, mentioning Lucy as he remembered she had been there too. "Don't interfere with her; that is an order." Ivan shot a look behind his shoulder and Gajeel remained where he stood without breaking eye contact. Ivan disappeared behind the wall and left Gajeel to himself. There he stood in the room where someone had just been murdered, and behind him the blood covered a significant amount of the floor. He grimaced as he picked up his jacket and slowly slid it over Flare's body, not that it would do any good. He wasn't sure if Flare's last minute outburst was from her psychotic personality or if she was trying to change the subject in front of Ivan before Gajeel's cover could be revealed. Perhaps he'd never know the woman's true intentions, only that he'd never forgive her, not for hurting Levy the way she had. He stepped away and left the scene and was greeted by the large man with the top hat and the hunched over blonde from earlier. The three men walked silently.

 **Levy crept through the back** door of the cafe, keeping her head low as the bartenders and bar-backs exchanged looks at the intruder, although they were expecting a handful of applicants to rush through in desperate need to have an excuse to be associated with the eye candy that's sky rocketed the bar's business, when only one girl—the petite bluenette –rushed through without saying a single word, the whole staff was a bit thrown off.

"Thought ya'd never make it," Bacchus complained from the kitchen's doorway as Levy snatched the sparkling bag that swung from his two finger tips.

"Something came up," she mumbled, leaving little room to explain her fiasco with Cana who was the sole reason why she was late. She quickly jogged in place and looked both ways multiple times. "Where do I change?"

"You can use the supplies closet, it's pretty big." He motioned to the third door on the left and Levy sighed with relief.

"Thank you, I owe you one!" Levy cheered as she headed over to the closet. She sighed with relief when she finally managed to get out of her uniform and into something casual, but now that she was in the small walk in closet lined with cleaning supplies, and extra tables and chairs, Levy's heart began pumping tenfold. Why the Hell was she so nervous? She began by taking her gun and pepper spray out of her bag and setting it on the stool sat in the corner. The last thing she reached for was her taser, and as she clicked the side switch and the top zapped into an electrical blue flash an unpleasant yet hilarious memory of when she and Lucy had just became officers. She handled the pain surprisingly well, and she hoped she wouldn't ever have to inflict what she suffered through onto anyone else, but if he tried anything funny again then she'd have no choice. She felt brutal even setting these weapons out and considering which one to use on him; she wasn't trying to kill the guy, it wasn't like that!

She gulped as she placed the taser aside and immediately turned to the sparkling bag on the table top. She was supposed to be his backup dancer for the night, meaning she'd probably be wearing something white that would match his get up. It couldn't be that horrible; he dressed up rather nicely and seemed to take his talent seriously, so she wasn't too nervous. She had faith in him in him for the most part, and given her dresses usually ran rather short whatever he picked out wouldn't be anything out of her comfort zone she was sure. She slowly retrieved the outfit from the bag and her heart stopped. "You've got to be kidding me!" She cried out; she couldn't wear that! There was no way!

The wooden door next to her rattled as someone knocked roughly on the other side. "Five minutes to go until your boyfriends up there, sunshine." The bartender's voice called out, and Levy panicked as she ripped out of her clothing and shook her pants off. She gulped as she felt her face glow red and she tumbled over herself when she lost balance. Never had she gotten dressed so quickly in her life, and when the outfit fit snug against her curves and in all the right places, she gulped as she hoped to God she wouldn't run into anyone she knew. To make matters worse, there wasn't a mirror in the supplies closet, and she knew she wouldn't have time to freshen up in the restroom on the other side of the bar. "The things I do for my job," Levy whined as she adjusted the red bunny ears sprouting out of her ruffled hair, and she took a deep breath in before pushing out of the supplies closet and rushed towards the stage. It was already five minutes passed ten-thirty when the show was promised on the advertisement, and the crowd was pouring through the doors.

She felt her cheeks flare up when everyone's attention turned to her, and hoots and hollers soared through the air as Levy sped walked towards the bar. It's not that Levy felt insecure about her body, all the training she's spent the past couple of years had toned and sculpted her curvy form, and Levy's wardrobe already consisted of her revealing miniskirts and crop tops that she casually wore on the daily. It wasn't that she was self-conscious; it's just that out of all the abundance of costumes Gajeel could have chosen he settled with a red, skin-right and cheeky one piece that didn't cover any of her bottom. She was grateful enough that he provided a pair of dark tights. She assumed the outfit would be classy given the instructions noted to bring a pair of black heels, but all Levy could find were a pair of stilettos she bought for Cana's birthday the year before, and now Levy's knees trembled as she tried to run in them. At least she could kick them off when she arrested them, she thought optimistically, and she placed her hands on her knees as the uncomfortable shoes took a toll on her already exhausted body. "I'm really not cut out for this," she groaned just as she heard someone approach her.

"Lookin' good," Bacchus called out, surprisingly sober.

"I don't feel good," Levy mumbled as she shielded her face from the multiple stares she was receiving from every man in the bar. Her stomach made a flip when she realized Gajeel would see her, what would he think?

"Your Prince Charming is late," Bacchus explained. "Tonight's pretty packed so I can't talk. Have a drink of me," he replied before carrying out a rack of glasses and disappearing behind the gray kitchen door.

"Thank you," Levy called out. A drink sounded great right about now, but she needed to stay sober and level headed for when she confronted Gajeel. She skimmed through the drink menu just to keep herself preoccupied and busy, she didn't have time for anyone to come up to her, and as she read over the menu three times a voice spoke up from beside her.

"May I make a suggestion?" He asked, and Levy turned to see a man two stools down relaxing over some scotch. He wore a heavy jacket considering it was spring time and if it weren't for the distinctive scar running down his right eye Levy wouldn't have otherwise recognized him.

"Oh, I remember you. We met at the party!" Levy smiled cheerfully.

"We did," he confirmed, and he flashed her model-like perfect white teeth, which was in great contrast to his rich, dark skin. He was noticeably handsome, Levy noted, and the lines that crinkled on his outer eyes when he smiled showed that he had to have been at least a decade older than her.

"Rather briefly I may add," Levy reminded as she stumbled into him on her way out and asked him to tell Lucy that she was safe. "I don't believe I caught your name."

"Lily," the man reached out a large hand for her to shake, in which Levy grateful took. "I'm close friends with Gajeel."

"Levy," she smiled confidently as she firmly shook his hand. Her heart raced a mile a minute that the stranger already knew her affiliation with Gajeel; sure the bunny suit showed that she knew at least the man's name, but she couldn't contain her curiosity that begged to know if Lily found out about their association by Gajeel mentioning her. Did he ever talk about her?

Lily smiled warmly before taking another drink. "Ah, so you're performing tonight aren't you? It's quite a surprise that you're the only girl who showed up. Usually the women tear one another to shreds just to stand in the front of the crowd."

"Hahaha, yeah how weird is that!" Levy chuckled to herself as she shrugged and threw her hands up. She felt guilt and under the spotlight, something was so obvious about her, but Lily gave her a break and chuckled to himself. "I'unno maybe something came up!"

From Levy's perspective Lily seemed oblivious to her horrible cover up as he added to the conversation. "Probably. Gajeel's music is... _interesting_... but he sure does no how to get a crowd going."

"Even more so now that he's late," Levy muttered as she leaned her chin into the palm of her hand, referring to the restless customers that were already starting to complain.

"Which is a rather large concern, if I may add." Lily stared intensely at nothing particular, and he held his drink up towards his lips but didn't finish it. He was contemplating something hard that Levy was sure he wasn't going to speak aloud, but moments later his jaw tightened. "Gajeel is never late for anything. Not to work, not to plans, definitely not to his shows."

Levy's eyes deepened as a nervous feeling clutched her heart. "Wait, you think he's okay, right?"

She sounded afraid at his unknown whereabouts, and the truth was that even Lily felt uneasy that he didn't even receive a text message from his friend. Usually by now he'd receive _something_. "Gajeel has horrible motion sickness. If the car ride is too long he can grow ill," Lily reassured. "With that being said he might just be pulled aside at some gas station throwing up, or maybe he's stuck in traffic. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about, Levy."

"Oh— oh, I wasn't worried." Levy explained as she turned back to her drinks menu. When Lily wasn't looking she sighed with relief; she hadn't realized that she practically almost leapt from her seat and towards Lily when she heard the possibility of Gajeel being hurt.

Lily smiled softly, "good to know."

The cafe's setting dimmed and the spotlights burned the stage as the audience began to grow antsy. Levy glanced at the iron-work clock above the bar; it's been nearly an hour and a half since she's arrived and also when Gajeel was supposed to show up, and the crowd was beginning to argue and fight off the staff members.

"Please everyone, I'm sure ya tone-deaf singer will be here shortly— hey, fuck you, man. Ya wanna fuckin' go?" Bacchus was clearly drunk by now and he picked the mic off its stand and blared into it. "Yeah I'm talking' to you, ya damn fuck!"

Levy face palmed when a brawl started in the middle of the bar, and as furniture scraped against the wooden floor boards and chaos erupted. "This is a nightmare."

"This is very unsettling," Lily admitted to the both of them.

"Yeah, the crowd is being ridiculous," Levy groaned as she succumbed to the free alcoholic, pineapple rum that was slid down to her by one of the bartenders. She hadn't asked for it, but perhaps the sullen look on her face told the whole bar that she desperately needed one. She twirled the colorful straw in her hand, "I mean, he should be coming in any minute."

"Levy... I'm starting to think Gajeel may be in trouble," Lily spoke out, and when Levy's eyes widened and she panicked, the crowd began to burst into cheers.

"Speak of the devil! Ladies and gentleman, Gajeel!" Bacchus side stepped away from the spotlight and allowed Gajeel to climb up in his white suit get up and brim hat. A chair was placed for him in the same spot he had it last time and his white guitar lied against a stand behind his left shoulder. The crowd cheered joyously as the man stood under a shower of golden spotlight, it poured over him and casted a shadow under his eyes and as Levy and Lily sighed in relief the two of them noticed something terribly off. Gajeel was just standing there, staring blankly at nothing as if he had seen a ghost. He coughed roughly into the mic and a loud blaring squeal went through the speakers. The crowd began murmuring at their artist's off behavior, and Gajeel leaned against the mic stand sloppily.

"Good evenin'," his hoarse voice spoke out, and he stumbled forward before catching himself mid fall. He held the mic's stand at an angle and leaned towards his left as if he were moments away from collapsing. "I'm gonna fuckin' play ya a song," he cursed into the speakers, and the crowd cheered. Even the judgmental Bacchus seemed to enjoy it, but like he said Gajeel's music was pleasing to drunken ears, and Bacchus proved this theory.

"Hey Lily..?" Levy asked slowly. "Is it just me or does something feel off to you?"

Lily groaned as he hunched his shoulders with embarrassment. "It's not just something. I can't believe I'm saying this, but that damn idiot is drunk. No, he's beyond drunk, he's absolutely hammered."

"Wait, what?" Levy jumped when she turned back to look at Gajeel swaying across the stage. "Wh-why on Earthland would he get wasted before a show?" Levy asked, just as Gajeel collapsed to the ground with a large thud. The crowd broke out into questioning, and when Gajeel picked up his chair and threw it across the bar, the piece of furniture sailing over heads and crashing into the stools beside Levy—in which she screamed out and abandoned her stool— the crowd immediately started to boo him off. He fell downward again, crashing against his guitar and knocking into the amps, and when he didn't get up the third time livid customers rose in an uproar and an array of drinks and baskets of trash were thrown at him. It was raining garbage over the stage, and when one man got up to personally pour his beer over Gajeel's hat, Gajeel leapt back up and retracted his fist back, punching the man with so much brute force it sent him flying backwards off the stage and crashing into the angered crowd.

"That's definitely not good," Lily grunted as he stepped off the barstool and immediately tore into the crowd. "I'll take care of the crowd, you go find Gajeel," Lily ordered, in which he didn't stay around to make sure Levy approved of the order. While Lily was busy wielding people away from physically assaulting Gajeel, Levy caught the glimpse of his white suit making a run for the back door. She adjusted her top before making a run for the backdoor that she came in, and when she crashed to the darkened alleyway the muffled chaos surrounding the stage died down behind the thick outside door and brick walls. Levy's heels were higher than she was comfortable with, and in the uneven, muddy alleyway she felt all the less confident in walking in them. She planted the palm of her hand against the brick beside her to steady her stance. The air smelled crisp and heavenly after a well needed down pour of rain, and the wet pavement shimmered under the orange streetlights and glistening moonlight. She could see Gajeel heading towards the left and the parking deck across the street; his shoulders were hunched and over and over he reeled to the left and leaned towards the right, staggering as it took everything in him not to collapse onto the littered alley floor.

"Gajeel!" Levy called out to no use; the man hadn't heard her, or perhaps he was so out of it that he simply couldn't formulate a response. _"Gajeel!"_ Levy cried out as she sprinted towards him, landing on the pads of her feet and trying her best to balance on the thin stilettos of her heels. Gajeel lost his balance as he crashed against the brick wall to his right, and he leaned against it as he tried to clear his fogged up mind.

"Gajeel, what's gotten into you?" Levy asked, and she screamed out when the unfocused man held out his gun to her and placed it right in her face.

"Whadda Hell da ya want? Huh?" He asked roughly, and his words slurred messily together the same way Cana's sentences would mush together whenever she heavily drunk. He flung his weapon around as he spoke, and Levy's body froze as she realized if he made one careless move she'd be painting the alleyway with her blood, just like Gajeel had told her earlier that week. His eyes narrowed and he immediately looked her up and down; he was seeing multiple versions of her every few seconds as his intoxicated vision grew blurry, but he was well aware enough to see her in the bunny get up, the last thing he expected to see her in. He immediately put his weapon away when he recognized her, and he pressed a hand to his forehead as he tried to focus on what to say. "W-What the Hell are ya wearin', Shorty?" He asked in a muddled daze.

She glared sharply at that, annoyed that he was too intoxicated to realize her embarrassing choice in clothing was completely _his_ idea. "Gajeel, what happened to you? Why did you drink so much and let yourself get like this?" Levy asked with concern.

"What's it to ya, small fry?" He placed the gun on his hip and staggered away from her, looking more like a toddler learning to walk rather than a full grown man trying to escape his problems. Now she was getting angry, and refusing to let him escape for the second time she tore after him.

"Gajeel, get back here!" Levy ordered, and as she began to peel off her heels she heard the way Gajeel's dress shoes crunches over thick slabs of shattered glass. She cursed herself for not staying in her sneakers, and she ran with all her might despite the way her body threatened to topple over. She was going to lose him all over again, and she couldn't be careless enough to let him get away, not when she had such a large advantage at the drunken man. "Gajeel!" She screamed out, but to no prevail did he answer. Her heart beat pounded and despite her running she couldn't catch up with him, even for his slower than usual pace he was fast, and as he tried to escape Levy was running out of ideas of what to do. Her heart ached that he was treating her like this, and perhaps maybe she had a little too much to drink as well, for with a voice that all of Magnolia could hear, she finally confessed to him what she'd been feeling ever since the night he left.

 _"It hurt a lot, okay?!"_ She cried out, and her voice shrilled and scratch the brick walls all the way down to where Gajeel was messily jogging away. He came to a halt when he heard Levy's cry, and he slowly looked behind his shoulder to see the woman yards behind him, standing under an exterior light that illuminated her features with gold. Her shoulders were trembling and her hands were tightened into fists at her sides. She kept her eyes screwed shut as she refused to look at him, to see that pitied face she expected— the same expression she received countlessly from everyone around her. "It hurt like Hell when you left me, is that what you wanted to hear?" She called out, and when she was answered with silence her eyes shot open and tears threatened to make an appearance, but she refused to cry. "Of course I keep going to you, that night you said you liked me, that you wanted to get to know me, to see me again. I told you things that I never told another soul, you likewise... so why... if you didn't want anything else, why did you promise me so many lies?" Her heart ached just asking him, and before she knew it she was rocketing out questions, and each cry jabbed Gajeel in the chest ten times harder than the last. In his drunken state he sobered up momentarily when he heard how badly in pain she was, and as she fired her questions he began progressing towards her. Levy turned away from him slightly, "Why couldn't you just tell me that you weren't interested? Why did you have to lie to me about being in the mafia? Why did you have to use me, Gajeel? _Why?!_ " She screamed out, and she squeezed her eyes shut again and tightened the muscles in her face to hold back the tears and to stop her quivering lip from trembling. "Answer me!" She screamed out as she turned to the silence man in front of her, but she was shocked to see that he was only a few feet away from her at this point.

She had to crane her neck upward to meet his eyes, despite her heels she was still nowhere near his eye level. A shadow casted over his features, and his darkened red eyes glared into her with a look that was difficult to read. "You didn't hear a single word I said, did you?" Levy asked emotionlessly, and she snickered under her breath at how useless her whole confrontation off. "I can't believe you."

"Then believe this," Gajeel started as he pushed towards her, and Levy backed up, only for her heel to get caught in the cracked pavement of the alleyway and throw off her balance. Gajeel caught her fall, and his hands wrapped around her and cushioned her before her back could slam into the brick behind her. "I never meant to hurt ya, Levy." Gajeel admitted, and the determined glint in his eyes spoke volumes for the truth he was speaking. "I did want to get to know ya, I did want to see you again, I—,"

 _"Did,"_ Levy bit out. "I'm sure you did…"

Gajeel clenched his teeth, "it's not like that, damnit!" He roared, and Levy remained quiet when she saw how worked up he was getting. "I like ya a lot, damnit, why can't ya see that?"

Her eyes widened at his confession, and without knowing what else to say she spat out, "yeah I wonder why! You sure are a man of words, Gajeel, degrading me the past couple of times I got to see you since!" She screamed out as she pushed her palms against his chest to regain the distance they had earlier.

"Levy," Gajeel started distressfully. "Yer so fuckin' dense, I only pushed ya away to protect ya!"

"I don't need anyone protecting me, Gajeel; I'm completely capable of protecting myself!" She screamed out.

"That's not what I'm trying to say!" He roared, and the emotion scratching his hoarse voice made Levy stop momentarily to actually listen to what he was trying to explain. "Yer important to me, I want to keep you safe!" He annihilated the distance between them and placed his hands on her shoulders, and drunkenly he rattled her frame as he shook her slightly, raising his voice at her in hopes this way his words would get through her thick skull. "The night I met ya was one of the best nights of my life," he confessed, and his grip around her shoulders tightened. "I never wanted to hurt ya, I don't want to see ya hurt Lev, but I can't lose you too…" His grip on her shoulders tightened and his shoulders trembled as he casted his face down. His jaw clenched as he couldn't muster the words to say, the alcohol slowed his thoughts and he felt himself lose track of the conversation. "There wasn't a day I didn't think about ya," he admitted.

"Wh-what..?" Levy whispered between the two of them, shock consuming her as she couldn't believe what he was saying.

"Please… please believe that, if anythin'..." Gajeel pleaded as his hands fell from her face and settled on the dip of her hips. He pleaded her desperately with his eyes, but Levy was already pulling away, slipping out of his grasp before he could stop her.

"I'm sorry Gajeel," Levy wept as she stepped out of his vicinity, and quickly spun around him. Before Gajeel could process what she was doing, she yanked his arms behind his back. Gajeel was too intoxicated, which heavily slowed down his reflexes and made arresting him significantly easier. She retrieved the handcuffs that she concealed in the heavily thickened padding of the one piece's built in bra. She immediately snatched the cuffs around Gajeel's wrists before he could contemplate what was going on; his fogged vision pointed towards his bound wrists, and with a loud gruff he tried to pull out of the restraints. "But I have to prioritize my job. I can't allow my emotions to hold me back any further…"

"Levy—what are ya," He started off as he registered that she was restraining him. "Levy are ya fuckin' kiddin' me?!" He exclaimed, and Levy retrieved her weapon from her hip, and with a mechanical voice that was hardly human she recited his rights. "You have the right to remain silent," Levy began, and she shoved him against the wall to which he tumbled forward. "If you do say anything, what you say can be used—,"

Silence was not an option for him. "Yer tellin' me that damn confession of yers was a fuckin' trick to arrest me? I can't believe ya! I pour my damn heart to ya and ya do this to me?!" Gajeel turned around and broke out of Levy's grip, and as she tried her best to take control over him once again, Gajeel began stumbling over. "Levy, Levy you…" And broken heartedly he watched the way she braced herself for his attack as she glared into him as if he were some kind of monster. Perhaps he was, and that alone made everything in him grow bitter. He staggered forward, and with a fearful look Levy prepared for the worst.

"Gajeel, stay back!" Levy warned, but to her surprise Gajeel didn't attack her; in fact, the man had collapse on top of her instead, bringing her to the ground with him. She choked out when the back of her head hit the pavement beneath, and she groaned as Gajeel's entire form landed on top of her.

"Get off of me, stupid Gajeel!" Levy screamed out, and to her horror the man was out cold as his cheek rested on her chest and his hair spilled over her arms. "You have got to be joking," she groaned, and she twisted and turned her body in hopes she could peel herself out from underneath the large man. Two hundred pounds of muscle rested on her like dead weight, and strained to pull her body out alive. This was humiliating, Levy groaned, and as she clawed against the pavement her peripheral vision picked up on a form creeping towards her. She looked up to see Lily a bit beaten up from his fiasco at the stage, but nothing major. A cut lip at most, and his serious stare turned to the man that was handcuffed and collapsed on top of Levy.

"I, um." Levy mumbled as she blushed vividly. "I can explain."

"No need," Lily reassured as he held his hand up. "I'm pretty sure I know what's going on," Lily sighed, and he grabbed Gajeel by the handcuffs and picked him off of Levy. She sighed with relief when the crushing weight was taken off of her, and as she rubbed the sore spot behind her head that had taken a good portion of the impact of her fall, she looked up to find Lily struggling slightly. "I understand you're trying to arrest him, but if you want me to help pick him up it would be easier if he weren't hand cuffed like this," Lily pointed with his nose to Gajeel's wrists bound behind his back. Levy nodded frivolously and reached for the handcuffs keys, only to realize they were left behind in her bag which remained in the supplies closet.

"Oh, about that..." she smiled weakly, and Lily relaxed and leaned Gajeel against the wall, Levy watched Gajeel carefully, "Is he going to be okay? Does he always get like this?"

"I haven't seen Gajeel this drunk in a very long time. He has a high tolerance for the most part, so he did this on purpose. Something stressful must have happened if he were trying to get drunk enough to forget about it." Lily noted.

"Ya know him pretty well. How did the two of you meet?" Levy asked softly as she pulled herself up to her feet, and the small talk was needed to calm her jittery nerves that sent electricity throughout her body. Gajeel's words spun through her mind, and the way his face had leaned forward moments before she arrested him was still replaying in her mind. Her heart pounded against her chest as she placed a hand over it in hopes it would return to normal.

"Boxing," Lily said with the slight smirk, looking back on what seemed to be the good days based on his softened smile. "I understand you're a police officer and doing what you feel is right. I'm sure I can leave him in your hands now." He turned to Levy. _So much for going way back, you literally just tossed your friend over to get arrested,_ Levy thought to herself. It was the right thing to do, given Lily like any normal person would prefer to stay out of trouble, but he did it so easily without a hint of emotion. Levy thought about it momentarily, and her eyes glazed over the way Gajeel had passed out. He looked younger when he was asleep and not grouching the whole time. Seeing him like that gave her an idea, and her eyes lit up when she turned to Lily for help.

"Actually, there's a favor I'd like to ask you," Levy spoke up, and the large man's eyes glistened with curiosity before his lips quirked into a smirk.

 **A/N:**

I think I'm gonna practice writing fluff and happy stuff today!

...Murders Flare brutally

On a more positive note, the confession was satisfying to write, it was well needed. *sighs*. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter; I know it's all over the place. Everything will finally piece together and make sense the next chapter; I'm eager to write it. I can't wait to see you! (:! Thank you for all of your reviews and messages!

 **Up next:** Gajeel seems cooperative to the questioning, but can Levy believe anything he says? They're going to have to work together if they to want to make it out of this ordeal alive, but from their unresolved history and the crippling weighted threat of the mafia on both of their shoulders; it seems that the universe is throwing everything it can to make managing their secrets impossible for this unlikely pair.

 **Bonus:** FLUFF. Surprisingly. No, seriously. I promise.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Welcome back my lovelies. Thank you for returning to this crazy story which has absolutely consumed my life. I hope you enjoy this chapter, given it's been my favorite one to write thus far!

 **Chapter 7.**

 **Gajeel woke up to a soft breeze kissing** the high points of his cheeks, and then a strong shiver pattered over his bare skin. The breeze had a subtle chill to it, and thus he confirmed that it had to be morning; he could smell it in the air, the rain water still collecting in puddles and the cracks of the abandoned streets, the refreshing scent hung in the air, saturated and heavy. Gajeel's eyes strained as he came to his senses, and as he slowly crept back to consciousness the strong sensation of sleep latched onto his shoulders and dragged him back down; it felt as if he was fighting an everlasting battle that he would inevitably lose.

He forced himself awake; it was bright as Hell and just the glimpse of the sunlight that caught his direction and broke across his vision forced him to tightly screw his eyes back shut and he hissed in pain. His head was pounding like mad, throbbing in slow lasting, dull waves of pain as sleep shook itself off his mind. He groaned as everything in him felt sore, and he gagged at the bitter taste in the back of his throat, a clear reminder of his night before. That's right, he had gone drinking in a stupid manner that he hadn't done in years, he recalled as he blinked and tried to adjust his vision.

He had almost fortunately forgotten the horrible price that came the morning after excessive drinking, yet here he was hung over as ever. His shoulders felt stiff and the first thing he thought of was water; his throat was hoarse and he was dehydrated, and as he began to move his arms they locked immediately, something cold and sharp cut into his wrists. Gajeel's eyes shot open then, and in front of him was Levy, dressed down and glaring at him.

"What the..?" Gajeel asked himself as his eyes fully adjusted to the lighting, and now he could somewhat comfortably observe her. This was the most casual he'd ever seen her; in front of him Levy sat down on one of her dining chairs, legs criss-crossed and her cheek resting in one of her palms. Her headband was missing, one of the first things he noticed, and her bangs feathered over her eyebrows and almost brushed her eyes. Her hair was a mess, the waves and short pieces stuck out in all directions in her bedhead hair style that Gajeel had never seen yet.

2Levy was always presentable and neatly put together, no wrinkles in her clothing or hair out of place; now she was in her comfort and element and her flaws out in the open, though Gajeel wouldn't consider them imperfections. He cleared the tough, frustrated itch out of his throat; she looked good when she'd first woken up. She wore a gray sweatshirt that hung off her shoulders; it had a high school's name on it that he's never heard about. She wore tight fitting, gray sweatpants and those dumb fuzzy socks that girls liked, the ones that went above the ankle. "Levy..?" He asked softly, keeping his voice low as he learned immediately that speaking only amplified his headache.

"Good morning, Gajeel." She greeted sternly, and as she did so she sighed and squeezed the bridge of her nose between her thumb and two fingers when Gajeel yanked at his restraints and made the chair screech from the force of his strength as it scooted backwards over the carpet. His teeth clenched and the muscles in his biceps flexed as he attempted to use his strength to break free, and when he found that his actions were in vain he sent her a defeated smirk. She had restrained him to the other dining chair by bounding his wrists behind the back of the seat with handcuffs, and now that he was aware of his situation he noticed the tight rope that secured his ankles to the chair. She took advantage of him while he was drunk out cold, Gajeel realized, and a low chuckle rose out of him as he realized how dirty it was of her to attack him at his weakest.

"Heh, ya sure are persistent, Shorty." He croaked as he tried his best not to groan from the annoying pinching pain in the center of his forehead. When Levy left him unanswered, he clicked his tongue and looked downward away from her melting glare, that was when he noticed that he was still in his pants, but the rest of his attire was missing and left his torso exposed. Even his socks and shoes had gone missing, and his feet were left bare against the carpet. "Ya sure are a pervert, whatcha gonna do to me, huh? Ya couldn't question me while I was fully clothed?

"I'm not here to play games, Gajeel. I need answers." Levy snapped at him, and she sat down in a more authoritative position, this time with her arms crossed against her chest and one leg over the other.

"Not til' I get mine first, Shrimp," he replied with her same attitude. "Whadda Hell did ya do to my body when I was asleep, ya perv?"

Her definitive display cracked at his annoying assumptions. "You're so full of it!" Levy snapped as she stood up and looked down on him. "You undressed yourself, you freak! God, you have no idea how annoying and ridiculous you are when you're drunk!" She tightly crossed her arms over her chest and looked elsewhere, but not quickly enough to hide the way her face flowed red starting from her chest and stopping at her ears. Gajeel wondered what in Fiore he must have done to her last night to make him responsible for her flustered expression, but seeing how irritated and grumpy she was he didn't think it could have been because he had done something sexual, she'd be beyond pissed off with him if that were the case, or maybe she'd actually be calmer. But he wasn't stupid; he knew he definitely couldn't have done something good, either.

"I don't believe ya," Gajeel grumbled. "Why would I believe anything a kidnappin' pervert would say?"

"I'm not a pervert!" Levy screamed out as her patience was running thin. Levy stomped towards him and pressed a finger to his bare chest, "I want answers and I'm gonna get them whether you like it or not!" Levy's teeth clenched when Gajeel's lips formed into a soft, loving smile. He found this authoritative side of her sexy and empowering, and he was relieved to find that she was more frustrated than angry with him. "I'll keep you all day if I have to," she promised, and she smiled wickedly when his eyes widened.

However, his look wasn't fear like she anticipated; it was because she was leaning over him with only a brush of space between their chests. She smelled good, just like the night they met, and it stirred something inside of him, something he wasn't sure what the Hell it was. "This is illegal," Gajeel reminded her as he tried his best not to focus on how close she was to him, their noses barely brushing as she threatened him with her eyes.

Levy panicked when he said that, and she hoped she could play it off with her knowledge of the law. Did he really think he'd be able to outsmart her in her own field of work? "Wh-what are you—?" However, Levy stammered when she realized what she was doing was definitely against the law; holding a person captive for questioning while she wasn't on duty and definitely in the comfort of her living room was completely unheard of. He didn't have to know that, though. "I'm a police officer, I have the right to do what I see fit."

"I'm startin' to think ya Christmas tree'd yer exams, Shorty, cause that definitely ain't how this works," he chuckled to himself, and when he saw that blush return to her face he smiled up at her. "Wanna interrogate me some more? Fine. Do yer worst, Shorty, its sexy when you take lead like this." His eyes flashed with a challenging light that made him look at her mischievously, and as Levy grew more and more flustered she stepped away from him and glared defiantly. He strained against the handcuffs once more; he didn't know how long he was going to be able to do this; he had things to do and places to be, and as much as he enjoyed her company he couldn't spend his time carelessly.

Gajeel wondered what she was going to do to him and how he was going to get out of it, he was relaxed when he knew farewell she wouldn't attempt to hurt him, not only was she an officer, she just didn't come off as the sadistic type. His eyebrows furrowed in puzzlement when her hand wrapped around the cord to the window's blinds, eyes fierce with determination. He arched a studded brow at her when she'd completely lost him, and to his disbelief he understood her motive as he hissed when she unleashed direct sunlight into his eyes.

He groaned in pain as his manageable headache exploded into a migraine, given his hangover had left him extremely sensitive to light and sound. Even Levy's inside voice stabbed at the center of his forehead, and he angled his body away and squeezed his eyes shut. "Levy, what the fuck is yer problem?" He screamed out at her, but even raising his own voice added to his pain.

"Just what I thought, I knew you had a hangover!" She announced proudly as if she cracked the craziest cold case Magnolia's ever seen. Gajeel would have rolled his eyes if he weren't screwing them tightly shut. She was such a _dork._ "Ready to confess to your crimes?" She asked daringly as she gave him a sharp, daring glare.

"Hangovers don't last forever, ya know," Gajeel muttered with a cold voice that made the hairs on the back of Levy's neck rise. He shot her a look that could melt steel, and Levy gulped when she'd never seen him so fierce. She squared her shoulders and neutralized her face, anything to hide the way her stomach had flipped three times in past twenty seconds. "And ya can't keep me held up like this. Sooner or later Lily will notice I'm gone, and what would yer boss say when he found out ya kept someone imprisoned in yer home like some kind of psychopath?" Gajeel confronted, and his fists tightened against the restraints as he helplessly tried to break free.

"I'll worry about that later, Gajeel. Unfortunately for you I've already planned everything out! I will interrogate you in the most irritating, non-physical way I can!" She grouched out, and her raised voice sent his mind pounding and his stomach threatening to hurl.

"Fuck, Shorty, use yer damn inside voice," he groaned out in pain, only to look up to his horror at her next scheme. "Levy, ya can't be serious," Gajeel shook his head and couldn't believe he'd let himself get into such a situation. "Is this really the best ya can do?"

 _"I am not playing games!"_ She screamed out when she held up her kitchenware, and Gajeel cringed when her voice shrilled in his ears. "Don't make me knock them against each other!"

"How the fuck am I supposed to take ya seriously when yer threatening to knock pots together?" He winced in pain as he began to full on laugh, "stop, please, yer right this is torture, it fuckin' hurts to laugh," he grit down on his teeth to hold back how hilarious and adorable he found her interrogation to be, and he couldn't believe he was being held hostage by the cutest girl in Magnolia, cutest as in she really thought she could aggravate his hangover until he spoke up.

"You know what, you're right..." Levy sighed as she lowered the pots to her sides. "This was stupid of me, I should just call up Laxus and have you taken it." She sent him a threatening look.

"How ya gonna explain keeping me tied up like this?" He asked, and he smirked when her furrowed brows shot up in surprise. "Lil's a witness too. Ya also abducted me over night, that's another thing. If you sent me to the cops yer coming down with me."

 _Crap, he's right!_ Levy thought to herself as she felt immediately embarrassed. Gajeel smirked once more when he saw her reevaluate her whole career. "What's the matter, Shorty, cat got yer tongue?"

"Grrr... well if I'm going to go down I might as well torture you since I have nothing to lose!" She shrieked out, and just as she was about to create the banging, irritating commotion that would most likely get her noise complaints from the neighbors down stairs, Gajeel's smirk wiped off his face and he grew deeply serious. Not only would he not be able to handle the ruckus that would ignite his headache on fire, he did believe that enough was enough. They couldn't go back and forth like this forever; before she could make a scene he stopped her.

"Levy," he stated calmly, which immediately made her stop and look up at him suspiciously. Gajeel's eyes squinted as the sun got in his eyes, and with a tired look he exhaled deeply. "This ain't funny anymore. Put the pots down and I'll tell ya everythin' ya wanna hear."

"Hmm... why the sudden change in plans?" Levy asked with a hand on her hip. "What are you scheming?" Her eyes pierced into him as she tried to make out what he was thinking.

"Ya want yer damn answers or not?" Gajeel asked roughly, his voice scratching as it came out. The lack of the presence of a nickname when talking towards her was enough to show that he was being very grave, and levy lowered her weapons as she stared at him deeply. "Take this seriously or I won't say a word. Trust me, anythin' ya do to me isn't shit compared to what I been through the past couple a' days..." his voice trailed off as well as his eyes, and he focused elsewhere as memories clouded the red in his eyes; he snapped out of his thoughts and shot her a glare that could turn her into ice if she stood in one place too long, and Levy felt chills run up her spine when the man's aura turned terribly cold. "I ain't answerin' anything until ya close the blinds."

"F-fine," Levy grumbled as she followed the order hesitantly. "But I'm the one who's gonna conduct the questions here." She reminded, regaining her control over the conversation.

Gajeel sighed in relief when the room returned a few shades darker. He swallowed down the throw up that threatened behind his throat, and with his headache growing to its max and making him beyond nauseous; he needed to get out of this soon. "What the Hell do ya wanna know, Shorty?"

"Everything you have to do with the mafia," Levy ordered quickly and to the point.

Gajeel grinned at that, "ya sure wanna get us killed, don't ya?"

"This isn't about me, Gajeel, and it's not like you have anything to lose," she responded coldly, and a defiant scowl met her iced aura. She began walking around him, and chills went down Gajeel's spine as her voice traveled behind his shoulder; he felt her eyes burn a path across his back, and when she reappeared in the side of his vision he watched her full hips sway to stop as she stood over him and pressed forward. "It's either you get killed off by the mafia or you go to prison, neither sound very pleasant. With that being said, I'm sure you answering my questions won't change much." She crossed her arms and tried again. "What's your affiliation with the mafia?"

He met her challenging stare with one of his own, and electricity formed in a spark where their glares met, fueled by tension and frustration for the other person. He was right where she wanted him, and ticked under his breath in defeat that he'd been outsmarted by the witty and clever police officer. He had no choice but to follow her demands, and she was right about one thing: there wasn't a winning side for him. Just like Flare had mentioned, once set on this path you either die or go under. Neither choice was enjoyable. Though, he were more worried about the first choice than the second, given his connections could easily get him out of the penalty Levy promised if he didn't cooperate. Gajeel's body tensed up when he realized he never once had to answer this question out aloud, and when he spoke up his voice didn't sound like his own. "I'm bein' forced against my will," he started off slowly. "That's the best way I can explain it—,"

"Explain more," Levy demanded.

Gajeel gritted his teeth. "I got involved with some gang violence—," he answered specifically when he saw her grow more demanding, "— Phantom Lord. Long story short I gained the big boss's attention, and now I'm under his complete mercy unless I want everyone I care about to be murdered. That includes me... and from what I seen so far the deaths ain't all that peachy..." Hearing that Gajeel's life was on the line caused Levy's eyes to widen and she felt a lump rise in her throat. Gajeel suddenly looked exhausted, and when his look flashed up at her she noticed the dark circles lining under his eyes, deep purple crescent moons. "Does it make sense now? Why I can't be with ya and push ya away all the damn time? It ain't my damn choice. Yer just puttin' yer name on the list with the rest of them, with Lily, everyone I know... if I fuck up— Hell, if they even get _bored_ I'll be killed. Fast if I'm lucky, but knowing me I ain't got much luck, so more than likely I'll be tortured." He looked away, "ya don't deserve that, Shorty. No one does..." and as he spoke out pain darkened his irises as he had flashbacks of memories Levy couldn't begin to imagine.

Levy's eyes narrowed. "And why should I believe a single word you say?"

Gajeel eyes filled with a sadness that didn't match him. "I'm just lookin' for a plot of land to die on at this point, Lev. The woman who attacked you the day you found Wendy and Chelia," Gajeel started, and it startled Levy that not only did he know about her fight but the fact that he even knew the girls' names. Levy kept her complexion stoic and stern, her all-business professional expression, but Gajeel noticed the way the color drained from her face and how her shoulders tensed subtly. "Flare Corona... the boss murdered her last night, shot her right in front of me." His jaw clenched just thinking back on it, and now it was all coming back to him, the hot blood streaking across the high points of his face and the way her eyes slowly rolled up as she took her last gasp of air. She stared deeply into Gajeel's eyes, right into his rigid soul as tears spilled out of her, and the way her cracked lips inaudibly apologized to him made his entire body grow cold. He'd spent hours trying to drink away that memory, hide her deathly face behind a wall of intoxicated puzzlement. "They killed her cause she didn't finish ya off. If I don't follow orders, it won't be long until I end up like she did. Is that enough to persuade ya?"

Levy's voice grew dry, "Well then... what now?" She asked, and she was slightly relieved to know that the woman who was fixated on murdering her had been taken out of the photo. At least the most wanted woman in Fiore could be put to rest and not contribute to Magnolia's out of control corruption.

"Dunno, guess we're just gonna see how long you last, given now the big boss wants your head on display in his office," Gajeel gave her a lopsided grin, which made Levy feel uncomfortable given how casual and humorous he could find this whole conversation, when in actuality Gajeel nervous tick was the sneer he flashed at her. Nothing ever made him nervous, but Levy was a small girl and the way she'd fought him off may have been good enough for an inexperienced thug or handling civilians, but strong and expertly strained murderers coming at her in pairs would be entirely out of her league. She wouldn't be able to handle herself, and she had no idea what dangers she was in.

"You're one of them, aren't you?" Levy asked softly, her voice low and to Gajeel's shock, understanding. She stared at him with a blank look, like this were something she expected all along. "You're gonna kill me when you get the chance, am I right? I can tell by the way you're looking at me... you look anxious, like you're just waiting for the perfect opportunity." Their eyes locked together and Gajeel was immensely amused by the police officer before him.

Gajeel's eyes narrowed when he felt he was trapped. Damn clever brat, he thought to himself as he tugged at his restraints once the tightly bound cuffs began cutting his skin and irritating his wrists. He sighed in defeat, "I would never hurt ya, Levy." His brows furrowed and his eyes traced the ground, "but they ain't like me. They'd hurt you in ways you didn't know existed," he continued, recalling the thick bruises and cuts that covered nearly every inch of Flare's body. He couldn't imagine Levy in that same predicament, she was too soft and caring, loving, she wouldn't deserve that even if she made every wrong choice to get herself there; she was a good person, too damn good for the likes of Magnolia. He didn't favor the idea of her being heart broken, let alone in physical agony; if it were his choice he'd do everything in his power to make sure that never happened to her, and the first step was staying away from her. Now that they were only inches apart he had already failed miserably, and the brat was right when she said he looked anxious. He was terrified for her safety.

"If I tell ya anymore, you won't see me again," Gajeel admitted to her, in which Levy's eyes deepened with a hurricane of emotions. "If any of what I told you spilled out, they'll come after me. Lily would be next. And then you."

Levy tried to justify their time well spent together. "They haven't seen us together—,"

"Flare seen us," Gajeel started. "I don't know when exactly, but she was there. Somewhere in the shadows, watching."

Her breath hitched and she felt chills run up her spine at the thought that someone had been stalking them. She had always been so cautious with her surroundings and immediate area, how could she have let someone under her radar so easily? It wasn't like her for this sort of thing to happen. Could it have been the night Gajeel and her met?

"That means anyone could be watchin' us. Anyone coulda seen ya abduct me. Now they're wondering what we're doing, what we're saying," he started slowly, and he allowed pauses here and there so Levy could take her time processing what he was trying to tell her, catch up and fall onto the same page with him. The reality of it all settled in Levy's chest in a low simmer, and although she should have feared for her life and panicked, she felt nothing at all. In the calm, still air of her apartment she didn't feel anything at all. Levy stood there momentarily, her palms began to sweat and an uncontrollable tremble shook her from the core.

Gajeel looked pitiful then, "ya just had to keep showin' up, huh?"

Levy smiled at that, "Hmph, maybe I'm a little careless." She started as she circled behind him once more.

"Whatcha gonna do now, Shrimp? Gonna resume torturing me?" He asked with a sarcastic sneer. He felt Levy tinker with the restraints on his wrists, and her cold, soft finger tips brushed his hands and sent electricity shooting up his arms.

"No, but I do plan on ending _my_ torture. You're a headache, Gajeel." She groaned as the handcuffs piled into the palm of her hand. He sighed in relief as his tensed shoulders finally relaxed. He rotated his arms in front of him and rubbed his sore wrists; Levy had tightened them to the point the metal sliced into his skin, and now they were red and raw from him trying to break free. Levy silently dropped to her knees in front of him and cut through the nylon rope that secured his ankles and lower calves to the legs of the dining chair. Gajeel watched her as the spot between her eyebrows creased as she focused on her task, and he wondered if she was busying herself to help her mind settle down. What he told her would have shaken anyone up, but Levy was a tough girl. At least that's what she was trying to make him believe. She visibly jumped when Gajeel's fingers brushed through her hair, and his fingertips slid against her forehead as he took her bangs up in one sweep. She looked up at him then, and he wore an expressionless look that didn't give off what he was thinking.

"Where's ya headband?" He asked her, his nails dragging across her scalp and making her shiver slightly. It was a soothing gesture that relaxed her and made her nerves ignite on fire at the same time.

"I don't wear it 24/7, Gajeel." She grumbled, and she went to cut his other leg free from its restraint. She noticed his bedhead the moment she secured him to the chair. His usual slicked back hairstyle had fallen out of place during his drunken state, and with him falling over every ten seconds and Lily manhandling him up the apartment's iron flight of stairs, his bangs had fell over his eyes as well and just above the metal studs that replaced his brows. She remembered thinking how good it looked on him, before immediately scolding herself for checking Gajeel out while she knew her priority was to interrogate him. Almost an hour before she placed a chair in front of him and waited for him to wake up, she took advantage of his slumber to take in every detail of him. His handsome face wasn't helping her jittering nerves, and his bare, ripped torso only made matters worth. She remembered how it felt when her fingers danced over his hardened abs and defined chest, her cheeks flared and she felt herself soften up when looking at him. She felt hopeless.

"I like it, Shorty," Gajeel's voice caught her off guard in her dream-like state. "Yer hair looks good." He said to her in a calming voice she hadn't heard since their first night together.

"You don't have to suck up to me, I'm not going to arrest you anymore," Levy admitted, and she sat back on her bum and criss-crossed her legs.

Gajeel arched a studded brow, "Why the change of heart?"

Levy smiled softly at that. "I have a feeling that there's more to this than you're willing to tell me, you just need time. I need to keep you around for further investigation."

"You're not gonna keep me hostage here forever, are ya?" He asked and when she shot him a soft smile he couldn't help but return one. "Yer pretty soft hearted for a cop; I could actually be a significant face in the mafia and murder you now that you've released me." He grunted as he leaned his elbows on his knees and leaned forward towards her. "Didn't think of that, did ya?"

"Shut up, stupid, you're not going to do a thing," Levy pressed a finger firmly to his chest and pushed him away from her. "I really trust my gut feeling, which is important in this career," she replied smartly, but her smile wiped off when she watched Gajeel dig his face into his hands. His face was growing red as he clenched his teeth in pain, and Levy rose to her feet and crossed into the kitchen. She retrieved a glass of water and some aspirin from the cupboard, and when she handed it to Gajeel he refused the offer with a stubborn shake of his head.

"Ain't takin' it," he growled.

"Stop being such a big baby," Levy ordered, and her stern voice made Gajeel jump a little from shock.

"Damnit woman," he grounded out as he took the pill from her, but instead of holding out his palm he parted his lips. He stared up at her daringly, and Levy's glare intensified as she popped the pill his mouth. His lips closed and pressed against her fingertips, and electricity shot through Levy's arm and exploded in fireworks once it hit her heart.

Excruciatingly flustered, Levy pushed the glass into his chest and turned away. "Go back to bed before I get mad."

Gajeel smirked at that and rose to his feet. "I can't believe I'm taking orders from a shrimp like ya."

"I'm not a shrimp!" She monkey-shrieked, and Gajeel groaned as her voice scratched his ears and amplified his migraine.

"Fuck, whatever ya say," he groaned as he disappeared into her bedroom, and Levy tiresomely fell backwards onto her couch and tilted her face to the ceiling. Never had she ever felt more exhausted. Last night was the most excessive night of her life. When she was cutting his restraints she had to focus her attention elsewhere, anywhere other than his bare skin, his hardened muscular chest, his toned abs, everything out and open for her eyes to feast on. She had to look away from his bare feet, which sent flashbacks of him kicking off his shoes and tearing off his clothing in front of her hungrily. Levy groaned and rubbed her temples. He truly was a headache— no, he was a _migraine_. Her fingertips burned from where he kissed them, and she pressed them to her mouth as her eyes gazed out the large windows of her apartment, staring out into the clear blue skies of Magnolia.

 **The Night Before**

Rainwater was soaking into Gajeel's pantsuit as he fell downwards and lied sprawled out against the cobblestones of the alleyway. Lily had walked in just in time to save Levy from her disastrous evening; a heated confession and a drunken Gajeel falling on top of her was beyond overwhelming, and as she rubbed the sore spot behind her head she found Lily giving her a long stare. "I wasn't really trying to arrest him," Levy admitted to Lily in the dimly lit alleyway; the large serious man nodded slightly but focused all of his attention on Gajeel. "I was just trying to restrain him since he was acting so recklessly— he took his weapon out and I didn't know what to do." Levy tried to justify what Lily had walked in on, and when a plan sparked her mind she tried her best to play it off. Lily arched a brow at her and Levy knew she sounded ridiculous, but she was confident she could climb out of the deep hole she was digging herself in. "The truth is I just want to get him back to my place. He's pretty out of it, I wanna watch over him and make sure he's okay."

By now Lily had already hooked Gajeel's arm around his shoulder and lifted his friend off the ground. Lily sent Levy a serious stare, and from his narrowed, reserved glance Levy realized that he didn't trust her with his friend, which was understandable given they had just met. "I don't believe that's a good idea, Levy." Lily began to drag Gajeel towards the parking deck. "I'm sure the police station will take care of him just fine—,"

"W-wait, you don't understand," Levy stammered when she Lily began brushing her off, he was being cautious with her and as she followed after him he gave her an uncomfortable side glance. Lily turned around to meet eyes with her and she gaped upwards when she found that he was even taller than Gajeel. "I, uh, don't know if Gajeel mentioned it to you but we're actually dating one another."

Lily paused momentarily and shot Levy a look of pure bewilderment, his eyebrows shot up and made the scar twitch over his skin, and he double-taked as if he didn't quite hear her right. A reaction like that only told Levy that Gajeel was so outrageous that even Lily couldn't believe he'd manage to actually go out with someone. She felt the urge to face palm, that or giggle at the idea, but Lily had spoken up. "Oh, my apologies Levy, Gajeel never mentioned it." He explained, in which he realized his words could potentially get his friend in trouble. He cleared his throat, "Not that Gajeel wouldn't be proud to say you're his girlfriend, we haven't had a chance to catch up for quite some time; he's not very big on talking about his private life. Not even with me."

"Mmm, it's okay!" Levy chirped as she waved her hands out in front of her. "We started dating a couple of weeks ago, so it's understandable if he hasn't said anything yet. Hahaha, I know exactly what you mean, that's Gajeel for you! S-silly boy!" Levy's words rocketed out of her in rapid fire as she grew more and more flustered.

Lily smirked and shook his head slightly. "Wow, I can't believe it. Gajeel finally made his move."

"Hahahah, right? Neither can I! Yup, I'm his girlfriend alright, _hahaha!_ " Levy laughed nervously as she played along, and the entire time her face caught a flame and her entire upper body grew red on fire.

"Levy, I admire your patience." Lily admitted as he adjusted Gajeel over his shoulder and dragged his friend down the alleyway. "This is the most stubborn man I know, you truly must have the patience of a saint."

Levy picked up her step to keep up with Lily's speed, "Yup, that's why I love him!" She chimed as she placed her hands behind her back to hide how nervously she wrung her fingers out.

"You two make a good couple, I usually get a gut feeling with these sorts of things," he explained.

Levy's heart stammered at that, "Hahahaha, y-yeah! We're completely in love—a match made in heaven! M-maybe I may even be the next future Mrs. Redfox—i-if I'm lucky!" Levy wanted to cry from embarrassment; she couldn't believe what she was saying. Immediately flashes of their imagined wedding went through her mind, and she couldn't imagine Gajeel standing at the end of the aisle, hair secured back and teary eyed. Would he cry during that sort of occasion? He was so rough and brute around her, but then there were moments when he was soft and gentle, she couldn't figure him out.

She repressed the urge to slap her hands against her heated face and hide how absolutely flustered she was becoming just thinking about it. Lily on the other hand was focused on his separate chain of thoughts. He didn't seem to notice the way her words came out in a jittery jumble, he only assumed that she was shy about their new profound relationship in which made him very proud of Gajeel. The poor boy had been lovesick over the girl for ages, and for the most part he hadn't been able to stop talking about her. It was only recently that he cut her name out for good, pretended she never existed at all, and yet here he was _dating_ her for crying out loud.

 _He is so ridiculous_ , Lily thought to himself, and he shook his head at how grade-school Gajeel was handling his emotions. "Where to, Levy?"

"Luckily for us I parked pretty close," Levy pointed towards the _Fioran Lacrima '84_ parked towards the entrance. It didn't take long for Lily to shove Gajeel through the backdoor and messily sprawl him over the backseat. Levy gulped at how crumpled up he was and how Lily dusted his hands off as if he'd just placed a package back there and not a human being. Levy adjusted herself so she could peer past Lily's shoulder and the backseat window. "Is he going to be okay like that?"

"Meh. Isn't much different than when he gets carsick and balls up," Lily shrugged, and when he glanced at Levy she didn't meet eyes with him. Her stare hooded as she watched over him worriedly, and never had Lily ever caught someone look at his friend that way. Something warmed his chest and sighed deeply at the young love blooming in front of him. "He'll be fine, I promise. I'll follow behind you."

"Okay!" Levy chirped, and she hopped into the driver's seat and waited for Lily's car to follow up behind her. Gajeel was a heavy man and stayed in one place despite Levy's wild turns, and she glanced every so often with fear that he'd wake up any moment now. Fortunately he stayed knocked out, and when it came to getting him up the stairs to her apartment Levy felt her stomach flip three times. Lily easily dragged Gajeel's limp body up the countless apartment stairs, while Levy quickly sped up— thankfully in her white high top sneakers —and clumsily fiddled with her keys as she looked for the key that would unlock the apartment door. Her adrenaline was spiking now that her plans were falling into place, and she clicked on the light switch to illuminate the pitch black apartment. She stepped out of the way for Lily to pass through the door and to her horror he skipped the couch that she had motioned towards. "Wh-where are you going?" She asked nervously when he headed towards the hallway.

"Oh, I just assumed this is where the bedroom was," he started, and Levy gasped in panic when she realized what was bound to happen. "O-Or do you two not sleep together yet?" Lily started off with furrowed brows, given in this day and age it was odd for them to be so distant if they already established themselves a couple. Lily didn't understand why the color in Levy's face had drained, and he coughed an awkward patch in his throat as he tried to save himself. "Which I respect, I understand many couples do wait until m-marriage—,"

"O-of course not!" Levy exclaimed as she rushed forward and led Lily to the bedroom. "I just didn't know if he'd come to his senses or not; a man like Gajeel, waiting until marriage? _Ha!_ " She forced a laugh to show how ridiculous that was, but truthfully she had no idea of Gajeel's morals or his wishes in a relationship. They did have a sinful first night together anyway, so there goes the whole abstinence idea of it all, but apart from that Levy doubted Gajeel was very romantic. The idea did fixate on her mind more than she'd like to admit. Lily shifted uncomfortably at the sexual topic and Levy panicked. "I-I shouldn't be talking about that so openly, I'm sorry."

Lily shook his head, "It's fine." He nodded reassuring to Levy before he lied Gajeel down on her bed. "Just out of curiosity, Levy, have you ever been with Gajeel while he was drunk?"

"No, never," Levy admitted as she stayed pressed against her dresser and allowed Lily to adjusted his friend over the covers.

"Hmm," Lily mumbled in response. "Well it's a good thing you two are lovers, because Gajeel can become rather… euh…" Lily's face morphed into something regretful as he recalled past memories. That made Levy's heart skip out of her chest given Lily's explanation was vague and worrying.

"Wh-what do you mean?" She asked worriedly.

"He's a hopeless cause, oh what's the word? Clingy?" he explained with little detail. "Hopefully he stays knocked out, but I'm sure if he wakes up you'll know how to handle him." Lily shot her a wink and Levy smiled confidently, though she had no idea what on Earthland he was talking about.

"Y-yeah, you know me, I can handle anything!" She shot him a thumbs-up and that was good enough for Lily to believe her.

"If you need anything I'll go ahead and give you my number," Lily started. "Just call me whenever he's ready and I'll pick him up. At this rate he won't be very pleasant in the morning; he's a pain when he's hung over. I advise you let him sleep in and keep your distance."

"Will do!" Levy lied as she plotted the exact opposite of Lily's advice. Once their phone numbers were exchanged and Gajeel was sound asleep, Lily headed out the door with a wave and greeted Levy goodnight. She thanked him kindly, and when the door was shut and his footsteps disappeared, Levy's heart hammered against her chest as she scrambled to finish her plans. She retrieved the rope she kept in the hallway closet, and now all she had to do was retrieve her spare handcuffs from the dresser. Both took her only seconds, but when she caught Gajeel from the corner of her eye, sound asleep and snoring softly she froze in place. His skin was slightly flushed from his heavy drinking, and a piece of his bangs had fell out of their slicked back hold, and fell right between his eyes. Levy gulped as she walked closer to him, and when she was for certain that he was sound asleep, she scooted herself onto his side of the bed and sat down beside him.

He was so much different when he was sound asleep, and never had she had a chance to really study his features like this. Not since their first night. Her curious fingers softly traced over his skin which was surprisingly smooth, and the tip of her index subtly swirled around the studs sticking out from the side of his nose. Her intrigued touch slid against his plump, bottom lip and tapped the two studs that sprouted underneath it. Eventually she landed on his forehead, and she brushed the bangs out his eyes in which he didn't even flinch. He was out cold, and Levy smiled softly at how peaceful he looked in contrast to the last few encounters they had where he was rough and exhausted. She traced down his temple and his sharp, chiseled jaw, where her hand rested endearingly on his cheek. She watched over him, and as his breathing softly tickled the palm of her hand, she recalled their scene only an hour before.

" _I like ya, damnit!"_ He exclaimed to her, their faces only breaths apart, and the confession rattled her core so badly she felt as if she were going to be sick. Her touch retracted quickly away from cupping his face and she returned her hand to her side. What in Fiore had gotten into her? Levy sighed as she hopped off the bed and kicked off her sneakers. She was still in her embarrassing bunny costume and immediately peeled out of it. She quickly changed into her pajamas in case he woke up, and luckily enough she had no disturbances while she wound down for the night and prepared for bed. Refreshed after a steamy hot shower, Levy sighed as she towel dried her hair and allowed the damp locks to brush against her shoulders; she hummed to herself delightedly as a hot shower was exactly what her sore muscles needed. It didn't exactly help that she crashed against the pavement thanks to that drunken idiot collapsing over her. Levy opened the bathroom door only for her heart to skip a beat—when she peered into her bedroom the wasted lump on the bed had vanished.

"Wh-what in—," Levy stammered before screaming out when she was tossed onto the bed. She flipped over only to see Gajeel leaning on top of her, and with dilated pupils and a dazed stare he watched over her lovingly. To Levy's horror he had already peeled out of half his clothing; she gawked at him shirtless, and the way his muscles flexed when he was steading himself above her. Levy's mind exploded in horror as she realized what Lily may have been implying; good God, Gajeel wasn't a horny type of drunk, was he?! She wasn't prepared for this, and she had no idea how much of his mind was left conscious. _It's a good thing you're lovers,_ she recalled Lily stating, and she felt her heart beat speed up as she realized what was about to happen.

"G-Gajeel?" Levy asked silently, and her heart beat drummed in her temples with no sign of slowing down. "Wh-what happened to your clothes? P-pervert!" She cried out as she quickly looked away, but his hand met her face and tilted her stare back towards him where their eyes locked lovingly.

"Levy," he slurred, and his lips perked into a cute grin. "Where were ya, Shortcake? I missed ya," he smiled warmly, and he snuggled his face into the crook of her neck.

"Shortcake?!" Levy cried out in embarrassment at the cute as heck nickname.

Gajeel's breath tickled her neck and sent her into a fit of giggles. He chuckled along with her, so clearly out of it and intoxicated. He sped his fingers over her sides and sent her into a frenzy, and as he spoke she could smell whisky on his breath. "The light of my life, where did ya wander off to?"

" _G-Gajeel you're drunk!"_ She squealed as she quickly slid out from underneath him and kicked backwards until she slammed her back into her headboard. She couldn't believe what was happening; this sweet side of him was even more overwhelming than when he was being sexual!

"Levy, come back," he whined as he climbed onto the bed and crawled to her, and with a lustful stare she felt as if she was going to faint. This must have been what Lily warned her about, and she understood his humiliated expression when he relived what embarrassing stories of Gajeel he must have had.

"I-I'm sleeping on the couch! Please, it's really no bother!" She announced as she swung her legs over the bed and tried to escape as quickly as she could. To no use was her evasion given before she could succeed two large hands clamped around her sides and dragged her back into bed. She clawed into the sheets as she attempted to escape, but before she could she felt her back press into his chest. She squeaked when she was enveloped into an embrace, and annoyingly one of his legs wrapped around her as he spooned her closely to him.

"Ahh," he sighed happily as he nuzzled into her. "Now yer safe and warm," his voice muffled into her hair, and Levy's face glowed red as she felt his arms squeeze around her securely. "In my arms where I can protect ya," he whispered softly with a contempt sigh. Levy felt as if she was going to faint, she couldn't believe it. _He was the romantic type when he was wasted!_

"I-I can protect myself, th-thank you!" Levy choked out as she tried to pry out of his hold, but he only bear hugged her closer to him and coiled around her like a snake suffocating the life out of its prey. _I'm gonna die at this rate,_ Levy panicked, and when she heard Gajeel return to his snoring she freaked out. "H-Hey you big lump, wake up!" She ordered, but he nuzzled his face into her neck and completely fell back asleep.

She didn't know who she was more annoyed with, Gajeel who had completely forced her into this cuddle frenzy or herself for finding his hold to be completely relaxing and enjoyable. Her backless top allowed for his body heat to warm her slowly, and the more comfortable she grew secured in his arms, the more heavy her eyelids became. She couldn't have felt more pathetic, and after a few moments their breathing matched and fell into a routine, where which each rise of his chest she would inhale and follow. She tried her best to pry out of his hold, tried even harder to stay awake, but before she knew it she was defeated and was awakened by the morning sunrise had blanketed over the skyscrapers of Magnolia, and she shot out of her bed and quickly followed up her plans before the man could wake up. That's how this whole thing started.

 **Later that Evening**

On the opposite sides of the apartment a deep slumber had settled over the hung over man and the exhausted young girl. Night time was falling over Magnolia in a soft purple blanket that morphed against the orange tinted sky. From Levy's balcony the Magnolian Skyline flickered to life as the lights lining the towers flicked on one by one, and small windows sparkled against the deepening sky. The bluenette was sound asleep on the couch, knees tucked towards her chest and her arms supporting her head as a pillow. Sometime in the past hours a heavy throw had been tucked over her, and comfortably enough to the point she hadn't awakened from it.

Gajeel couldn't believe they'd slept the entirety of the day; his hang over refused to let him function properly, and he felt bad for the countless times he hurled in the master bedroom's bathroom. He made sure to clean everything up accordingly, and he was grateful for the toothbrush and paste that Levy left him by the sink. He was feeling better now that all of the alcohol had left his system, and more importantly he had caught up with his sleep. He wasn't sure what happened to Levy the night before that made her so unexplainably exhausted. In the next hour and a half it would be dark out, and Gajeel had been called upon for a serious matter of discussion, in which he was ordered not to come alone.

He dropped into a squat as he made himself more eye level with Levy, who snored faintly in front of him. The cute sound tugged at his heart strings, and although he knew they had to get going he couldn't help but watch her momentarily in her sleep. She'd scowled at him the entire morning, but now she'd return to her soft, youthful look that settled peacefully over her complexion. He smiled softly when she stirred in her slumber, stretching out and mewing before returning to a comfortable position. He hated to wake her, but against his will he shook her shoulder and called her name. "Oi, Levy, wake up." He shook her rougher when she wouldn't respond. "Shorty, things came up and—," His reflexes kicked in and his fingers snatched around her thin wrist. Levy had immediately attacked when she was awoken, and in her daze she blinked rapidly before recognizing Gajeel in front of her. She was so used to living alone that his presence completely startled her, and immediately she sat up and checked the sky for the time.

"O-oh, it's you," she mumbled with embarrassment and retracted her hand away from his hold; she'd nearly punched him in the face in a quick form of defense. "Sorry about that," she started slowly but lost her train of thought when something soft brushed against her skin; she paused when her fingers smoothed against the blanket that had been pulled over her. She didn't remember grabbing one before her nap, and the idea of Gajeel checking up on her sleeping and tucking her in made her heart flutter. Although his kind action was out in the open in the physical form of the blanket that pooled over Levy's lap, neither of them brought it up. "Why are you still here?" Levy asked because she was genuinely surprised he decided to stay, however her words came out bitter and with a snap.

"Ya got me in trouble, brat." He started with a click of his tongue, completely rubbed the wrong way by Levy's tone of voice.

Levy's brows furrowed, "says who?"

"Says someone yer probably familiar with," Gajeel started and he leaned backwards and rested on his bottom and crossed his legs. "My sole purpose of this job was to make sure I stayed away from the police and followed every single one of Ivan's orders."

"I'm not familiar with the name Ivan," Levy announced, though it did ring a distant bell in her memory.

"I can't discuss it here," Gajeel explained. "Yer just gonna have to trust me." Levy stiffened as she scanned his eyes for any further answers. He was being so vague with her, and when she looked uncomfortable Gajeel sighed deeply. "I can't discuss it here, it's too dangerous. Yer gonna have to come with me where it's safer for us to talk."

"No way, I'm not going anywhere with you until you tell me the truth!" Levy ordered, and she turned away to prove that she wasn't going to move an inch away from the couch cushion she was nested on. "You're telling me this mafia boss wants my head on display, and that all of a sudden I need to follow _you,_ someone who is working for this said boss?!" Levy was outraged that he'd think she'd trust him so easily, and her arms tightened over her chest in fury when she felt as though he thought she were some easily manipulated child.

Gajeel clicked his tongue one more, "Yer so damn stubborn, kid. I just told ya I can't talk about it here." He smacked the center of his head with the palm of his hand. "I'm startin' to think _ya_ were the cause of my headache, not the damn drinking." He glared up at her when Levy refused to look his way. "Ya got me in trouble with Makarov, there are ya happy?"

"Makarov?" Levy asked quickly and looked over at the man in front of her. "What in Fiore does Makarov want from you?" She hadn't heard of Laxus's grandfather since he visited her during her graduation from the academy.

"Are ya comin' or not?" Gajeel asked her, and with a stare that silently begged her to cooperate all the while not appearing too pleading. Levy gulped at that and decided to just tag along, but she knew to keep her guard up when alone with the man. She couldn't believe that she fell asleep with him, but if she'd waken up alive even after hours on end with the man in her home, then he was definitely telling the truth that he wasn't intending on hurting her. How could she have been so careless in the first place? She'd have to scold herself later, but for now questions remained unanswered, and she gave Gajeel a stern nod before getting ready.

 **"I'm assuming the only reason you** invited me is because you needed a ride," Levy grouched as she found herself caught behind the wheel as Gajeel's personal driver. Gajeel was crumpled over himself, elbows on his knees and his head hanging low as he groaned in agony. "If you're thinking about throwing up, let me know so I can kick you out of my car!" Levy cringed when she heard his stomach rumble and the threat of him hurling could be heard.

"Cut it out, Shorty, I ain't in the damn mood…" He whined out as he clenched his stomach.

"Oh, that's right, motion sickness or something?" Levy confirmed as she recalled the conversation at the bar with Lily. "Is there any real cause for it?"

"Like I have a clue," Gajeel answered shortly. "First the damn migraines, now this," He complained as Levy slammed her foot on the brakes. He slammed against the dash board and grumbled underneath his breath, Levy bit down on her lip to stop herself from giggling.

"Stop your complaining already," she rolled her eyes as she pulled into the parking garage of the address he assigned her. She followed his directions and pushed towards a second garage door towards the back, one that must have been used for appliance repair men and moving trucks. As the metal door closed behind her car, automatic lights flickered overhead and Gajeel poured out of her car door as he collapsed onto the concrete.

"You're so dramatic," Levy replied, only to immediately cover her ears with her palms when he began to retch somewhere behind her car. The sound made her uneasy and she quickly tore towards the doorway and as far away as the sick man as possible. "You seriously couldn't do that in a trash can or something? Who on Earthland is going to clean that up, Gajeel?"

He ignored her nagging and passed by her with the quick wipe of his mouth with the back of his hand. He pressed a code into the keypad above the door and led her to the employee elevator down the hall. The ride up was silent, and Levy noted that Gajeel still looked just as bad as he did this morning. She truly hoped he was feeling better, but something about him looked as if he didn't get a wink of sleep during their excessively long nap—if they could call it one.

"F-feeling better?" Levy asked awkwardly.

He almost smiled at that. "You don't have to worry about me, small fry."

"I'm starting to believe that I don't exactly have a choice at this point," she smiled shyly at him, and he caught a glimpse of her grin before the elevator doors opened in front of them. She hadn't checked what floor they were on, but the ride up had felt like ages. Gajeel knocked and waited to be allowed in, and just as Levy was promised she immediately found the master perched behind a grand mahogany desk, and to her surprise Lily was there sitting across from him. Levy visibly relaxed when her illogical fear of six large mafia men dressed in tuxedos and puffing cigars over wads of cash wasn't revealed behind the door, and she released the breath caught in her chest when she immediately felt safe and secure in Makarov's presence.

"Levy, my dear!" Master Makarov smiled warmly as he greeted her. "It's been quite some time hasn't it? How have you been?" His same, cheery voice and giant grin helped Levy further calm herself down, and she was beyond grateful to see him.

"I've been great," she announced proudly. "And you, master Makarov?"

"Always as good as I can be!" Makarov nodded at her before turning to Gajeel. "Ooof. You don't look so good. Matter of fact you look horrible, my boy."

" _Shit week,"_ Gajeel replied grimly as the dark circles under his eyes and blood shot glare did all the talking for him. "Especially shitty night," he added as he hiccupped, and he wasn't sure just how much he could throw up in one day, it's not like there was anything left at this point; his stomach was raw. He'd drunken at least six bottles, he was just a hair away from alcohol poisoning and getting his stomach pumped, at this rate he never wanted to drink ever again. He was getting too old for this shit, and as he tried to overcome the ill part of the hangover now that the migraine stage was over, he caught Lily's attention from a few feet away.

"Hey Gajeel, how was the car ride?" Lily asked with a subtle smile as he tried to be serious, but he full out laughed when a vein popped against Gajeel's forehead.

"You little—this is all yer fuckin' fault! I wouldn't have had to have a damn car ride here if you didn't let Shorty over here abduct me last night! What the Hell were ya thinkin'?! Now all of us are in damn trouble!" Gajeel roared at Lily and his voice made Levy jump in her boots, but Lily looked unimpressed, most likely because he was used to Gajeel's strong voice and tone.

"I thought I was doing you a favor," Lily explained with a simple shrug. "I didn't want to leave you home alone when you could barely function. I thought it would be best if your girlfriend nursed you back to health, I mean she does know you best." He gave Levy a sweet grin that she couldn't return.

"Huh?" Gajeel was caught off guard by Lily who was now smiling a mile a minute, and as he tried to process the reasoning for Lil's goofy grin, he didn't notice the way Levy stiffened up and grew pale beside him. "The Hell are ya talkin' about, Lil?"

"I'm kind of offended you didn't tell me. You always go _on and on_ about Levy, and now that the two of you finally dating you hide it from me?" Lily smiled when a hint of red spread over Gajeel's ears. Now both Gajeel and Levy were silently panicking, Gajeel after being put under the spotlight and Levy all the more now that she's learned that he talked about her frequently. "But congratulations! Levy told me all about you two, how you're a match made in heaven and everything." Lily was trying to pick of Gajeel, but unknowingly he was setting Levy's entire body on fire with mortification. Gajeel was completely still as he processed what was going on, and although he were collected on the outside, inside was a civil war between his heart and mind that sent explosions at one and the other, causing his stomach to flip and his veins to fill with a serum that made his heart sing. Gajeel recalled what Bacchus the bartender had said before, about Levy saying she was his girlfriend. He couldn't believe it—this little vixen was telling everyone in town that they were dating!

Gajeel nodded slowly. "O-Oh. S-so that why I ended up at her apartment. I-I was wonderin' how someone so s-small managed to get me up three floors," Gajeel tried to talk the flustered gunk out of his system, but he was blushing like mad. When he turned to look over at Levy for answers, her eyes widened and she burned bright red. She immediately looked away and twiddled with her fingers, anything to focus on rather than Gajeel's questioning stare.

Lily turned away from the conversation and both Gajeel and Levy visibly relaxed. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience I caused, Master." Lily bowed his head when speaking to Makarov. "I didn't think it thoroughly through. I should have known this would interfere with Gajeel's work, it was foolish of me."

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Makarov responded as he crossed his legs on top of the desk he was sitting on. "Technically this is more of Gajeel's fault for flirting it up with the female police officers— oh but are they some lookers! Hohoho!" His perverted laugh filled the room as he turned bright red just thinking about the many beautiful faces that filled the office. Gajeel and Levy felt ten times worse now that the master was attempting to pick fun, and Lily only smiled softly at Makarov's crude humor. "I'm only teasing. Perhaps it isn't completely Gajeel's fault. The heart wants what it wants, and he can't help that his heart has fallen completely in love with my sweet Levy."

By this point Levy couldn't take it anymore; her hands clapped over her face as she hid her reddened face in embarrassment. Gajeel gritted his teeth and stared elsewhere as he felt the uncontrollable blush reach his face as well. This was a total misunderstanding, but Levy hadn't cleared it up, and until she spoke up about it Gajeel would remain silent.

"This does cause some complications, though." Makarov considered their predicament and turned his attention to the bluenette who was still hiding her face. "I made sure to address to Laxus that our new officers were to stay away from any case dealing with the mafia. It's not that I was afraid one of our officers would… erm… _fall in love_ with one of the mafia members, but more along the lines of this work being completely out of their league, especially with such little experience. Yet it happened anyway, what a predicament."

That was a double punch to the face for Levy. "P-Please don't tell Laxus," Levy pleaded with wide eyes. "I-I know I completely went against his orders, and what I did was unforgiveable, but…" She choked up, but not because of oncoming tears, but more along the lines of apprehension for her job. Gajeel had to look away then, he couldn't stand seeing her distressed and he searched for the words to say, anything to do to pick the blame off of her and slap it onto himself.

"Levy," Makarov started softly to calm her down. "I raised Laxus, I'm not obligated to tell him anything." Makarov smiled reassuringly which immediately made Levy's hitched shoulders loosen up. "Although you did go against your orders, it's safe to say that you didn't exactly run into a real mafia member."

"Huh?" Levy asked puzzled; she was on the same page with Makarov until that last part. "What do you mean, master?"

"Gajeel here is working under my orders," Makarov explained, and Gajeel hid the smirk on his face when he saw Levy's eyes widen with shock. Gajeel crossed his arms over his chest and kept his stare averted, now feeling horrible that he had to lie to Levy's face earlier that morning. "The leader of the Mafia stationed in Magnolia is unfortunately my own son, Ivan. Given that he comes from a family that pursues the art of criminal justice, he knows far too much about our system. He has tabs of information on everyone in the station, which meant that in order to get information from him I needed someone who wasn't a police officer to do this job. That's where Gajeel comes in."

"Oh…" Levy started, but that's the only thing she could think of saying. "Th-that makes sense now."

"It's a dangerous job with lethal consequences," Makarov further explained. "Entering Gajeel's life could be detrimental to your own; you must understand the complications you've attributed by confronting him in public, especially in uniform."

"I'm very sorry, master…" Levy apologized.

"No need," Makarov started, and he fell into a chuckle and right back into his goofy self. "I'm just happy to see such a lively couple in love! Oh, you children make me feel young again!" He had a great laugh while the blush formed over Gajeel and Levy again, and as the mastered slapped his knee and calmed down, he returned to his serious tone. "Levy is wanted by Ivan, which is concerning. I'm sure she can handle herself, but dealing with such a heavily armed and expert enemy alone would be foolish. For now I feel it's best if you spent your time with Gajeel and Lily to assure your safety. In other words it would be smarter for you to train with Gajeel at least. Unfortunately it would be too hard to hide living with one another, so you should stay away from sharing a home for a while. Until everything is cleared up."

"Understood," Gajeel nodded his head, but Levy was still processing the information being given to her. She was still embarrassed about being mistaken as a couple, she was still shocked that Makarov was ordering the two of them to train together and fight against the enemy, and she hadn't even began breaking down the fact that this entire time Gajeel was working under Makarov. She felt as if nothing made sense anymore, and she zoomed back into the conversation when Makarov dismissed them.

"With that being said, I wish the two of you the best. I worry for my children's safety every day, and I assure you this will all be taken care of shortly."

"Th-thank you sir," Levy bowed, and Makarov smiled kindly at her.

"By the way, Gajeel," Lily started when he noted his friend was heading for the door. "We saw the mess you made in the parking garage, the Master's left you some mouthwash in the restroom. You wouldn't want to kiss your _girlfriend_ after that."

"Shut the Hell up!" Gajeel screamed out, humiliated more about the couple thing than the fact that everyone saw him pour his motion sickness over the concrete of the garage. He grumbled to himself as he high tailed it to the restroom in Makarov's office, and as Lily stood up to walk Levy to her car, she smiled brightly at Makarov and waved hesitantly.

"Excellent work, officer McGarden, You make me proud!" He cheered from his desk. Makarov remained in place until Levy and Lily left the office and silence settled around him. His cheerful act was growing tiresome and now that he was alone he was grim and grave; in stressful predicaments such as these he truly felt his age, and his back was killing him and his joints hissed a dull pain. The restroom door cracked open with a freshened up Gajeel. His hair was slicked back in place now in contrast to the messy bangs he'd walked in with. He adjusted his shirt and rinsed his mouth, and as he looked around for Lily and Levy the master's voice stopped him. "Don't worry my boy; Lily is walking her to the car."

"Ah," Gajeel responded, as he wondered if maybe Makarov had any more news to tell him. He was right for the most part, given the master gave him that deep stare that showed he was thinking of something. However, what he was going to say to him was the last thing Gajeel could have expected.

"That girl," He started off, clearly referring to Levy. "I couldn't help but noticed the way you stared at her, Gajeel; there was a great amount of pain in your eyes, which isn't the look one would expect to see in the midst of two lovers." Makarov stated, and Gajeel wasn't sure if he should bring up that they weren't actually dating, and it would be beyond unprofessional and uncalled for to explain that the most chemistry him and the bookworm had was a drunken one night stand. He remained silent as Makarov continued, and his blood ran cold at the Master's words. "She's the young girl from five years ago, isn't she? The one from the initiation, the one you were meant to kill."

Gajeel froze in place when the fuel for his most reoccurring nightmare rose to the surface of their conversation. His face snapped towards Makarov in a wave of pure shock, and Makarov sighed when his assumptions were proven true. He laced his fingers together and rested his chin on his hands. "I thought so. I'm assuming she doesn't know it was you."

Gajeel remained silent as he felt uneasy. He planted his feet firmly to the ground to stop his weight from shifting from foot to foot; he knew that Levy was important to Makarov. He learned eventually that Levy and Laxus went way back to when she was in high school, and that after her parents had passed away she hopped from home to home before Makarov had taken her in for a couple of years until she was an adult and pursued being an officer. He'd learned a lot from Levy through the master, but he'd hardly learned a thing from the girl herself, apart from what she spilled out their first night. Now the soft, youthful girl described to him was blossoming into a woman he hadn't prepared for. She was clever and strong, and it was obvious now why the master saw so much potential in her, spoke of her so proudly when Gajeel couldn't figure out the importance of an ordinary girl. Now he was fully aware of her grace, and every day she amazed him more and more. He didn't know at this point how she'd react, and it worried him. When Gajeel was caught without words, Makarov continued.

"I'll never forgive you for the way you hurt her, Gajeel," Makarov started. He had had placed two and two together, though Gajeel had no right to be surprised given the master was old and wise and it was impossible to hide anything from him. He had a stare that looked into your soul and a mind that could interfere with your thoughts. His words sent Gajeel through a torturous flashback that he'd do anything in the world not to relive, to go back in time and change forever.

The thought of Levy leaning over, blood rushing out from the cut underneath her breasts that would eventually turn into a thick, rigid scar against her pearly skin—the same scar he had witnessed the morning after their night spent together, the scar that sent him running for the door to never see her again. He felt sick all over again, except the nausea had been replaced with an overbearing substance of guilt that made him feel tense and uncomfortable. Makarov flashed a pitiful stare when he saw the horrified look crossed over Gajeel's face. "But you're a changed man, Gajeel. You're not the foolish boy I met all those years ago." He hopped off his desk and walked in front of the man, and despite the height difference and Gajeel towering over him, Gajeel couldn't have felt smaller. "You have to tell her, you can't let her find out on her own."

"How the Hell am I supposed to tell Levy somethin' like that, old man?" Gajeel asked sullenly. "She wouldn't want to be a hundred feet near me if she knew I was the cause for that scar of hers. For her fears…" He stood there ashamed as he stared down at his feet and tightened his fists. "I… I hurt her…" He started off with trembling shoulders. "How the fuck am I supposed to look her in the eyes and tell her that I hurt her… and convince her that I'd never do it again?" Gajeel questioned as he turned around to see Makarov flash him a sympathetic look. "I'll tell ya somethin', it doesn't work like that, old man…" Gajeel clenched his teeth as he was consumed with guilt and frustration, and through his episode he heard the master sigh and pat his arm.

"You'll figure it out, son. Levy is a pure soul and a genuinely good hearted girl." All he could do was smile softly at him and give him a nod of his head. Gajeel hoped that if he stared into his eyes long enough he'd be able to obtain the same hope that lit the master's irises, but Makarov looked away and dismissed him. "Take care of Levy for me, Gajeel." He looked behind his shoulder and with a sly smile. "That's an order."

Gajeel smiled and gave a sharp nod. "I promise to."

 **Levy waited anxiously behind the** steering wheel as Gajeel took his previous time back in the office. She couldn't make her heartbeat relax, and she felt it pounding in her chest and her temples as she dreaded the car ride home. Would he be uncomfortably silent or would he tease her until time's end about the whole girlfriend-boyfriend misunderstanding? It was such a childish thing to get worked up about, but this was _Gajeel_ she was talking about. She couldn't stand him, he pushed every button in her, and yet he made her heart flutter and her mind explode in blossoms of flowers whenever she saw him. Her grip on the wheel was so tight her palms and knuckles were turning white, and when the metal door opened and Gajeel hopped down the steps and towards the car, Levy practically screeched.

Apparently the car ride was going to be awkward silence, for when he slouched into the shotgun seat he didn't say anything to her. Levy kept her eyes forward and away from him; static electricity zapped every nerve in her body as she felt her heart beat pound so badly that it fell out of place and dropped into her stomach instead. He exhaled a sigh as her breath hitched, and when she turned to him she thought she was going to explode. She clenched her eyes closed as she awaited him to confront her.

"I aint mad at ya, Shorty, if that's what yer thinkin'…" He started off, and Levy slowly opened her eyes to see Gajeel pale and surprisingly upset all of a sudden. He kept his eyes away from her and her flustered mood was replaced with one a concerning tone. Levy reached out a hand to him when she saw how hurt he looked.

"Gajeel…" She started softly. "Is everything okay..?" When her fingers made contact with his arm he immediately looked at her. He observed the worry in her golden, honey eyes and the soft blush that feathered across her rosy cheeks. He couldn't help but think about how little he deserved such a concerning look, not when he was the last person on Earthland worthy of it. He shook his head and pulled away from Levy, and it was as if a physical sting smacked against her fingers from where he distanced himself from her touch.

His voice came out in a low growl. "You overthink too much, Shorty. Let's just get out of here…" His eyes wandered away from her and that was proof enough that something was eating him alive. He was closing up again, she noticed, and so Levy turned away and put the car in reverse. The sensors lifted the garage's doors, and she took Makarov's words and brought Gajeel back to her place. They were going to have to spend a lot more time with one another whether they liked it or not, and as they grew closer to the apartment Gajeel didn't argue. An agreement to pick his car up from the Café was made and silently they walked through the dark and entered the silence of her apartment. It was late out and the two of them felt horribly exhausted. Levy offered to make the two of them something to eat, although her cooking skills were terribly questionable. She walked towards the kitchen after setting down her bag, but her task was cut short when Gajeel called out to her.

"Yes?" Levy asked as she turned around, but she was thrown off when the space between them vanished and she was backed up into the kitchen counter, pinned between the marble and Gajeel's large form. She stared up wide eyed when his crimson eyes narrowed with concern, and hopefully she assumed that he was ready to open up about what been bothering him in the car. "Gajeel, you can tell me anything," she reminded, carefully speaking to him to avoid the man closing up again.

"I know that," he answered softly, and his eyes swirled with the prominent emotion of pain. "There's… somethin' I need to tell you…" He whispered practically, and Levy's heartbeat could be heard when she wondered what in Fiore he could have been thinking. When her eyebrows lifted he felt his heart clench. Everything between them that had just been mended thanks to Makarov allowing him to clear the misunderstanding of his affiliation with the mafia; however, after this confession everything between them would crumble within the next few seconds. She deserved the truth; she deserved to know about him and his past, but was it worth losing her? Why did the thought scare him, anyway? It's not like she was his to begin with.

His throat went dry, and as he struggled to speak. He was so conflicted that he was genuinely taken aback when Levy's fingers curled around his collar and lowered his face towards her. His eyes widened when she pressed her lips against his, warm and inviting just as she had dreamed them to be. She stepped on her tiptoes to assist their height difference, and as she balanced herself she was grateful to taste hints of mint from when Master allowed him to wash up. The master was a nut who practically lived in his office, and she was glad Gajeel made use of the spare toiletries and hygiene products kept in the cabinets, for it made great use when she softly licked his bottom lip, silently ordering him to part his lips so she could taste more of the spearmint that laced his breath.

Gajeel didn't refuse her, and this time it was him being backed up into the wall, he leaned against the counters parallel, and Levy closed the space against them as she pressed their chests together and kissed him deeply. Her tongue met his and silently they lost themselves within one another, kissing passionately at a desirable pace that made it obvious both of them had longed for it—needed it. Gajeel's hands roamed down her body, sliding down her sides and rounding her hips before he lifted her up. His hands gave a firm squeeze before she wrapped her legs around his waist, and he pressed her back against the wall as he lifted her up.

Now Levy was angled above him, leaning down to kiss him further, and as the two of them parted in order to finally breathe in some, they panted as their eyes locked and remained there. Ruby orbs lost within a golden glaze, and vice versa. Something clicked in Gajeel then, something foreign yet distinct and although new things usually scared him this feeling was welcoming and warm. It soothed him, and his eyes hooded as he stared up at her, and it was then that he absolutely loved the color of her eyes, warm and brown with specks of gold stretching around the black of her irises. He could stay like this for eternity it felt, with her in his arms, looking up at what had to be the closest human representation to an angel if he'd ever seen one.

On the other end of the moment Levy looked downwards at the man holding her up, his red eyes a beautiful carmine color, almost glowingly bright, were once cold when seen far away. Now up close and personal she fell in love with the shade, and as she stared into him she saw more than the silly "criminal" she had treated him to be. She saw a kind man, kinder than he'd like to believe or act, and in those eyes she knew there was something more, so much more than what he had given her so far. They were absolutely lost in one another's beauty, and it was Gajeel who broke the admiration as he claimed her lips with his, softly biting down on her bottom lip which made a small moan escape her throat.

"Good thing ya didn't arrest me, huh?" Gajeel's question came out soft and made her mind fuzzy.

Levy giggle softly and smiled against his lips. "I should have. You definitely deserved it that past few times. You're right, I am too soft."

"Nah, I don't think you are, Lev." Gajeel answered as he pushed off of the wall and led Levy elsewhere. She didn't fight against it when Gajeel laid her over her dining room table. She opened her legs to allow him to cease the distance between them. He leaned over her and she wrapped her legs around him to keep him pressed against her; they continued to kiss, with his arms propping him against the glass and her hands roaming freely against his wild, raven locks of hair. Gajeel pulled away for a second which snapped Levy out of her daze; when she stared at him with a hooded gaze he felt his heart tug. "Why did ya trust me all these times, Levy?"

She couldn't answer that question; her fingers stopped coursing through his hair and she focused on his eyes. "I don't know, Gajeel." He looked down at her then, and he found himself brushing the bangs out her eyes, the strands of hair that fell out of her headband after their passionate make out session in the kitchen. "But I have every reason to trust you now," she reminded, lacing her fingers behind her neck. "I understand why you couldn't tell me. I just wish you would have been able to explain this all to me the moment I confronted you in the alley. It would have saved us a lot of time."

"A lot of time?" Gajeel asked.

"A lot of time for this…" Her finger lifted between them and she made a small circle in the air that included both of them. "Us," She finalized, and her lips captured his once more. Gajeel's heartstrings were strum like those of a harp when she said that, and before they knew it one thing led to another; Levy's headband loosened and eventually pooled onto the glass as his lips abandoned her's and went for the soft, pearly skin of her neck. Her chest had blushed beautifully red and more of it was revealed as slowly but surely the buttons of her crisp top were undone with the flick of his thumb and index finger. The more revealed she was becoming, the more he viewed hints of her laced bra, something he was eager to get off. He wanted to take his time with her; he didn't want to rush the previous time with Levy. And horribly he couldn't think of a good time to tell her the truth, what he was trying to say before she kissed him. As much as he loved feeling her beneath him, as intoxicating as her kissing was and as much as he wanted to encourage her soft moans that were panting through the empty apartment, Gajeel had to stop himself.

 _This is wrong,_ he thought grimly, and he couldn't bring himself to touch Levy any further until she knew the truth. He respected her and she deserved more than this. Gajeel pulled away some, though he didn't go far with her legs wrapped around him. Levy caught the shift in his mood and perched herself on her elbows. With her top still buttoned up halfway and her bangs falling over her forehead, their passionate moment had come to an abrupt stop at the worst of times. "Gajeel?" Levy asked nervously.

"Levy," Gajeel started. "What I was supposed to tell you," He began, and when Levy's eyes deepened with concern, they were immediately widened with shock. She screamed out then, and before Gajeel could figure out why, glass crashed everywhere from beside them. Gajeel shielded Levy and she jumped off the table. Once on her feet he pushed her behind him, and as he was ripped out of his daze he witnessed the scene before him. The doors leading to the balcony had been kicked in and ripped off the hinges; shards of glass sprinkled over the thick, cream carpet of the living room. Before him were familiar faces from Raven Tail, the small gang that had formed within Ivan's mafia. His elites—or his favorites as other called it. He knew that Ivan wanted Levy dead, but sending the best of the best was almost a compliment at that, in his eyes she'd manage to outwit Flare, when in reality she had danced around the fight and taken cover majority of their encounter. If this couldn't have been horrible enough, the fact that Gajeel had been seen with her—on top of her for fucks sake –was the damn icing on the cake for his platter of shit fucking luck.

"G-Gajeel!" Levy cried out behind him as she stepped out of his shadow. "Wh-what are they doing here?!" She asked as she recognized only one of the faces.

Gajeel couldn't answer her then, for one of the members he had met up with only weeks before stepped forward. Kurohebi smiled his wide grin as he took in the two lovers in the middle of something that seemed to be rather intimate. "My my, what do we have here? Has our poor Gajeel got himself into some trouble? Ivan is going to be ecstatic when he hears about this."

"But not as estatic as he will be when we come back with their blood on our hands," the other man grinned, and Gajeel felt a drop of sweat roll down his neck. This wasn't good, definitely not good.

"Listen Shorty, these ain't ya regular douchebag bad guys," he started off slowly as he watched their every move. With only half a room and a coffee table between them and two expertly trained murderers, he knew was going to have to fight with everything in him to make sure they got out of this alive. "Stay back, I'll take care of this. Don't worry, I'll make sure yer—," but Gajeel's short speech was interrupted when the bluenette had disappeared behind him. "L-Levy?!" He asked dumbfounded as he looked around. And after retrieving a spare gun from the kitchen drawer Levy was armed and ready. Seething with determination and a pissed off look that made even Gajeel shake in his boots, Levy held up her weapon at the two invaders.

"You're going to regret ruining my balcony," Levy promised, and Gajeel watched in utter shock at how she handled the situation.

"Hmph, Gajeel sure knows how to pick them," Kurohebi smirked as he retrieved two handguns from hiding. "It'll be a pleasure to annihilate you first!" He started, and he began his attack without wasting time. The two of them came here for Levy, but getting Gajeel taken care of while they were at it was an exceptional idea. The two of them braced themselves for the intruders attack, and before Gajeel could ready himself, Levy was already tearing forward, ready to cease the intruders and face them head on. The horrible realization hit when Levy remembered she had neighbors on this floor; shooting at such a close range could be lethal for those on the third floor. Cursing under her breath she ran face first towards the enemy, which immediately made Gajeel scream bloody murder.

"What the fuck are ya doin'—are ya insane?!" He asked, but he was thrown completely off guard when Levy moved expertly fast, kicking upwards and catching Kurohebi in the jaw, the same signature move she used on Gajeel in the alleyway. Although Gajeel noted that this time she moved swifter, quicker—had she been holding back on him last time? Unfortunately Kurohebi was expertly trained and made sure to dodge her next move. He swerved out of her attack and aimed for her, and just before he could strike Gajeel had torn between them, his fist launching into Kurohebi's jaw and sending the man flying against her bookcase.

" _Don't touch her!"_ Gajeel roared, a voice loud enough to shake the entire apartment, and in his fury and strength Levy's eyes widened. She was so fixated on the way that Gajeel saved her that she almost didn't catch the attack coming close range. The other face that had broken through the balcony was closing in, and Levy shrilled for him to get out the way.

"Gajeel, look out!" She shrilled, just as Gajeel took the attack face first and was thrown backwards. His vision fluttered and black dots filled in his eyesight, and in the muffled sound of his ringing ears Levy could be heard, desperate and crying, struggling and fighting.

" _Gajeel!"_

 **A/N:** Oh boy a cliff hanger! I hate cliff hangers but this chapter is already getting unnecessarily long. Thank you for reading, and I do apologize for the wait! I love you guys so much and hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry for the small tease towards the end, *spills lemonade over and loses it* but don't worry the lemons are coming very soon. This later half of the story where Gajevy's relationship is more established is when the steam with come! Anyway, stay tuned for the next chapter, where I'm excited to see you!

Until then my rosebuds!

 **Up Next:** A threatening enemy has invaded Levy's home. Can Gajeel and Levy work together to defeat them? Ivan's patience is running thin with Gajeel, and with every action comes a consequence. Gajeel is in more danger than he'd ever anticipated, and after a horrible turn of events it is up to Levy to save him.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Hello loves! Thank you so much for waiting patiently, I dearly missed you. I finally finished up with school and am excited to continue this story! I hope you enjoy this long awaited chapter! Warning: The "five years" part of the story is pretty violent and has to do with how Levy and Gajeel met, you can skip it if you like. Thank you for reading!

Chapter 8

 **Levy stared deeply into Gajeel's eyes** as she anticipated what he was going to tell her. They stood in the middle of her kitchen, lights off and only the doorway behind his broad shoulders casted dim light from the dining room. His shadowed features helped in hiding the subtle tingle of pain that he hid behind his serious, usual frown, but nothing could hide the emotions that screamed for help in the place of his irises where there should have been light. He stumbled on the words to say, and as Levy watched him struggle she released the breath of air that was trapped in her chest. Her heart was beating like crazy and her arms felt weightless as she raised them towards his neck and stepped onto her tiptoes; she curled her fingers around the collar of his shirt and brought him down to her level before kissing him softly on the lips. Everything else had progressed after that, with their tongues flicking across one another and their scenery turning into the dining room where her back was pressed against the cold, glass of the table and Gajeel was between her legs, slowly removing her shirt and snapping the buttons undone one by one. She wanted more than anything to return the favor, to get him to show more skin— the same bare chest and torso that she drooled over earlier that morning. She panted against his neck and relished the way his chest pressed firmly against her own, the slight pressure of his body weight leaning on top of her drove her wild. There wasn't an inch of space between them, and there she could savor his body, smell his earthly and masculine scent and allow her curious finger tips to explore his sculpted body.

Suddenly Gajeel hesitated and stopped as he pulled away from her, with no most horrid timing he was ready to tell her what he'd needed to say in the car and again in the kitchen. Levy swallowed her disappointed when their heated and steamy moment abruptly stopped, but she was understanding and patient with Gajeel. With the rate they were going at, the tension in the air, the chemistry slowly bubbling and the reassuring words from the master that Gajeel was _good_ , Levy was sure she'd have more of him later without the guilt that she'd been carrying the past couple of weeks when she thought her heart landed in the hands of a true mafia member. His lips parted slightly as his hesitation got the best of him, but before he could go further Levy let out a scream as the glass panel double doors leading to her balcony were kicked in and glass sprinkled in the air. Those were the few peaceful moments before their lives suddenly became on the line, completely taken off guard and out in the open for death to curl it's itching fingers around their necks—they had been attacked.

She was now only seconds away from death. Gajeel took a powerful blow to the jaw as the unknown man attacked, and as Gajeel tried to regain his consciousness Levy watched in horror as the larger man picked him up by the collar and slammed him against the wall.

"Gajeel!" She cried out for him, but a voice behind her shoulder brought Levy back to her own predicament.

"Over here!" Kurohebi sneaked up behind her in a surprise attack, and miraculously Levy missed it by only a hair as she dodged and threw her body to the left. She rolled against the glass sprinkled in the carpet but had no time to register the pain; she looked up in time to see Kurohebi's eyes widen in satisfaction and a maniacal shine. "I'm not gonna let you run around like Flare did... I'm gonna give you special treatment for being such a nuisance to Master Ivan!" He promised as he ran at her full blown. Levy braced herself for the attack, meanwhile Gajeel had wound back his fist with all the strength he could muster and landed it square into the intruder's nose. She opened her eyes when there was a delay in an attack, and her eyes widened to see Gajeel standing in front of her, protecting her with his fists curled in front of him in defense. "Y-You really saved me there, big time," Levy stumbled to her feet, her shoes crunching over the broken glass.

"Yeah, yeah," Gajeel waved off her makeshift thank you. "Now where were we?" His sinister eyes turned to the man who had placed him in a choke hold against the wall. Throughout the fight Levy and Gajeel's backs bumped into one another, and now the villains circled the two of them in her living room; the bluenette gulped and tightened her trembling hands into fists. "How can they be so strong? I've never handled an enemy this difficult before— it's as if they aren't even human," Levy declared in pure disbelief.

Gajeel's muscles tightened against her back, and her small frame against him reminded him that he had a job to do: to protect her with everything in him even if it meant his own life. "That's Ivan's elite squad for ya; they do all the dirty work so he can hide in the shadows, the damn pussy." The corner of his lips curled into a defiant smirk and he squared his shoulders, "difficult my ass, I'm going to send these guys back to their little leader in pieces."

"But everything we're doing right now is futile," Levy explained as she didn't for a second take her eyes off Kurohebi. "We can't shoot at them in here, not when there are other families living on this floor!"

Gajeel made a _feh_ noise at her worries, "then we'll beat them down the old fashioned way," and his leather gloves tightened against his cracking knuckles.

"Ah yes, that is correct, you wouldn't want to hurt anyone innocent. You can'tshoot in here," Kurohebi started before retrieving his hand guns from his hip. _"But I can,"_ he purred as he aimed and fired toward both of them. Gunshots shot through the walls behind them and Gajeel pushed Levy aside with so much force she slammed into the couch, and he quickly scolded himself and made a mental reminder to apologize to her later. Kurohebi gritted his teeth and shot fire towards Levy, but he was ceased when Gajeel rammed him down, his gun flying out of his hands. Levy watched in shock as she watched Gajeel beat him down, foolishly keeping her back to the large intruder that had also crashed through the balcony. She shrieked out as he tried to grab for her, and she slipped out of his hold and ran towards the bedroom as she distanced herself from the scene. Every muscle in Gajeel tensed up when Levy disappeared from the corner of his eye, and he knew that he was going to have to finish Kurohebi off fast before Levy could get hurt. A crash coming from the bedroom sent Gajeel's panic in a frenzy, though his steel cold eyes and grim frown made him look collected and reserved. Kurohebi was strong, but Gajeel was stronger, and without holding back he gave everything he could in order to protect the girl he loved.

"What will Ivan say when he finds out his little prodigy is nothing more than a despicable traitor?" Kurohebi asked as he resulted to the closed range weapons he carried on him, two sharp blades that took a great effort from Gajeel to dodge. "Or better yet- what will he do to you? Ivan will kill you… if I don't first!" He screamed threateningly, and in that moment something flashed before Gajeel's eyes. He almost snickered when he saw it, and in his mind flashed Levy's beautiful smile and shining eyes as she looked up at him, warm and beautiful and welcoming him into her arms. Perhaps before he wouldn't have thought too much about his consequences, death meant nothing and if he died he died, nothing more- but now someone cared about him. More importantly now _he_ cared about someone, he cared about _her_ , too much to allow himself to be dragged away and reach his end so easily. He refused to let anything tear them apart, he refused to let Levy get dragged down into this mess farther than necessary, and with all his strength he launched his next move against Kurohebi.

 _"I can't give up yet!"_ He roared back at him, and ran through the whizzing bullets, and in a miraculous outcome he picked Kurohebi up by the collar and slammed his back against the coffee table with enough force to make the legs splinter and break off. Kurohebi's eyes widened before the sole of Gajeel's boot met his face, and by this point Gajeel wasn't sure if the man was dead or unconscious. It didn't matter as long as he was unable to fight; Gajeel's breathing regulated roughly as he panted and caught his breath, the fight lasted longer than he would have wanted, but that was Ivan's cunning elite after all. Just when he thought it was over, he grew deadly still at the realization that it was too quiet, and Levy's name went off in his mind with sirens as he turned around towards the bedroom. _Please be okay, Please be okay, Shorty,_ he thought rapidly, but his eyes met a large wall of muscle as he looked up to the man who had first attacked him. Unfortunately he turned to face the enemy, and the large man wrapped his hands around Gajeel's throat the same way he had earlier, only this time his true intent was to kill. Gajeel's eyes widened as he was strangled, and he clawed and kicked as he was raised above the ground.

"Sir Ivan will understand why I didn't spare you," the man's cold words croaked, and Gajeel stared into the heartless bastard's eyes. There was no way he was going to let a fucking creep like this take him down, and he smirked as he felt the pressure in his head from the lack of blood. However, before he could say anything, the man retrieved a sharp blade from his pocket, something Gajeel least expected. Now his life was flashing before his eyes, and he had to think quickly, quickly or else he was going to—

Gajeel braced himself when blood splattered against his face for the second time that week. He was thrown backwards to the ground and landed on the glass near the deteriorated coffee table. He turned his attention quickly to the man who was trying to kill him, and with a head blown off he fell down in a heavy lump. His large body crashed hard, and everything in the living room shook from the dead weight hitting the carpet. Gajeel was completely shocked and taken off guard, and he slowly turned to the direction the bullet came from. There he found Levy in the door frame, face pale and bottom lip swollen and bleeding. The asshole must have got a good hit at her and assumed she was done for, a mistake that led him to his death. Levy was small, but a hit to the face wasn't going to stop her, and taking her for granted was the stupidest thing the mafia member could have considered. Seeing her hurt made Gajeel's blood boil, but he was too focused on the way her mouth dropped open silently and her arms shook harder than he's ever seen someone tremble before. Her weapon fell to the ground in a heavy thud as tears welled in her eyes.

Gajeel used the sleeve of his arm to wipe the blood splatter from his face; he jumped to his feet and ran towards Levy, arms open wide and pulling her towards him. Blue light danced against the walls of the apartment and casted shadows against the two embracing. From the open balcony the sound of police sirens could be heard collecting outside the apartment, but between the two of them was something louder; Levy's discomforting silence.

"Levy, are ya alright?!" Gajeel asked worriedly, pressing her face into his chest as he couldn't help himself but embrace her. He heard her sniffle and his hand cupped the back of her head and smoothed down her hair. "It's okay now, ya did good, Shorty." He pressed her against him tightly, until there wasn't an inch between them. "Yer gonna be okay," he promised her.

She pushed away from him slightly. "I- I never killed someone before," her voice came out ghostly and sounded unlike her. Her wide eyes were growing red but she was too in shock to cry, instead she stared at nothing in particular except for the blood on Gajeel's shirt, the blood that belonged to the man she just murdered. "I- I- I know I'm a p-police officer b-but—," She stuttered as her entire soul trembled. "I know it can happen on the job but I never wanted to ever kill someone— I n-never killed someone!" She screamed out, and Gajeel felt his mouth go dry when he watched her visibly panic.

"Levy," he whispered reassuringly, and when she looked up to see a side of his face streaked with the man's blood she cried out.

"No!" She cried. "It wasn't supposed to happen, I didn't mean it, he was gonna hurt you, I—!"

Gajeel met her eye level and grabbed her by the arms, his serious look snapped Levy out of her daze, but the words he told her shook her core. "It's always like this the first time," he started, his words coming out sharp and alarming.

Levy blinked at him, "wh-what?"

"The first time ya kill someone... after that, the trembling stops. It gets easier." His hands tightened around her arms as memories she'd probably never hear about clouded his eyes. Now thousands of questions stabbed at her, now what she needed more than anything was to know how many people Gajeel had murdered. With advice like that it's obvious he's had to of killed someone but who? And why? Levy froze in his hands when she couldn't figure out what to think— he was working for Makarov, that meant he was good, didn't it? But why I'm Fiore would Makarov trust a murderer? "Who are you..?" She asked as she searched his eyes, and just when she believed she had finally figured Gajeel out, got to comfortably know him enough to at least be acquaintances, she felt as if she'd lost him all over again. She truly had no idea who this man was. Gajeel's eyes narrowed and his mouth formed into a tight, gritted line.

"I have to go," Gajeel announced when he heard footsteps running up the iron flights outside.

Levy shook her head frantically, "no! You can't!" She cried as she threw herself towards him and latched onto his shirt with her nails digging past the fabric and cutting against his skin. "I don't want this to happen again," she admitted with a pitiful whimper, and it was her shocked nerves that were talking, and not necessarily the strong girl he had fought side by side with. Tears threatened her eyes and despite how tightly she clung to him she was still shaking, "I don't want you to leave, Gajeel—,"

But she cut off when his lips pressed against hers firmly, both reassuringly and promisingly as he hoped he'd be able to see her soon. "I'll come back for ya," he whispered to her, and he stared deeply into her eyes to promise that what he said was the truth. "Makarov's orders, and then I'll find ya," he reminded her, and when Levy's lip quivered he pressed their foreheads together. "Ya saved my ass, Levy." He smiled shortly, before breaking apart from her and heading towards her bedroom where he'd most likely make his mistake. By the time she caught the last glimpse of his midnight hair past the corner of the hallway, the door was kicked down by familiar faces; Natsu and Juvia broke through, clearly Laxus ordering the stronger officers to confront the scene. Their immediate attention went to Levy, clothes tattered, face swollen and hair matted and clinging to her skin; the second thing their eyes feasted on was the mafia member crashed and unconscious against the coffee table. Natsu flinched slightly at the sight of blood that he was stepping in, and towards the dining room was the large deceased body of the member Levy had killed.

"What the Hell happened here?" Natsu asked as he turned to Levy, who kept her eyes averted as she focused on the way her lips burned from the lingering ghostly touch of Gajeel's kiss, and the trembling subsided momentarily as she pressed her hand to her lips and where he once was, only moments ago and yet so agonizingly she already began her unbearable longing for him. Juvia released a breath trapped in her chest when she found Levy was okay, and her eyes went to the two bodies on the ground; her jaw tightened as she forced herself to look away, the lifeless forms brought her back to days she'd rather not reminiscent on any further.

"Juvia will assist Levy," Juvia announced as she placed a hand carefully on Levy's shoulder; she nodded at Natsu and led her out of her destroyed apartment. Levy made no protest as she was eased out of the apartment, and once on the bridge crossing between two apartments and sharing the iron staircase, Levy stared outward into the starry-night sky, the endless roof tops and silent city where Gajeel had escaped to, somewhere in the shadows, somewhere lurking. Safe, silent, promising. 

**5 Years Before**

The moon casted an orange tint as it hung hauntingly in the darkened midnight sky. The streetlights flickered occasionally as they threatened to give out any minute now, and the young girl quickly tore through the abandoned streets, vanishing in the shadows and reappearing whenever she was caught under a streetlight or the red-to-green cast of the stop lights hanging over head. He'd been following her for a moment now, the hooded figure that tore through the night and desperately tried to get home. The clock was ticking, and during his lurking Gajeel couldn't help but think of that old child's tale, the one with the sickly grandmother, the naive little girl and the deathly wolf that went after her. He stood up tall over the building he was perched on, watching as she maneuvered between the town homes and closed up consumer shops that were deadly still during this hour of the night. Gajeel had spotted his victim less than half an hour ago, and he knew he was running out of time. Somewhere in the fathomable darkness was a peer of his, a long-term member of the gang he was trying to gain acceptance in. Phantom Lord was the most respectable name of these credible streets that Gajeel could ever think of, and he was an arrogant man that required the best of the best and refused to settle for anything else. He'd heard many rumors, seen enough violence in the news and had enough strength and power to work his way upwards to a respectable title; he wanted more than anything to join, but with such a notorious gang came a price, and his key to his success was the small girl running down the pavement frantically. The leather of his fingerless gloves made a crinkling sound as he tightened his hands into fists; he was numb and alert, watching eagerly and waiting for his perfect moment. He jumped off the roof and landed on a metal escape route, and quickly he made his way down to where she had just ran by, only minutes away from the unknowing danger she was oblivious to.

It was nearing midnight and Levy had missed her bus. She quickly pulled up the website to find that an accident had occurred and that the next pick up would be delayed by an hour if not more. She knew that Makarov was going to kill her; she had just moved in and finally unpacked the remainder of her belongings the morning before. She'd barely settled in and already she was out towards midnight, causing the old man to be worried sick. Makarov was kind and gentle, but when he was angry his scolding could burn through anything, and although she deserved it she didn't ever want to displease the considerate man who offered to take her under his wing. He was already consumed with raising Laxus and she only felt as if she added to his complex headache. She ran as quickly as she could, and by this rate she was only twenty minutes away from home. Levy's legs were burning as they were tested to their limit, and she pushed further and harsher to keep up her speed; she balled her hands into fists and continue charging, even with everything in her body scorching with pain and she over exerted herself. Levy was defeated moments later, and she stopped shortly as she placed her hands on her knees and tried her best to catch her breath.

Hopefully the master hadn't noticed she wasn't home, she did lock the door before she snuck out the window. The master may have trusted her, but Laxus already looked at her like she were a disrespectful brat; the two of them weren't on good terms right about now, and moving in with one of the most idolized and popular boys in school would be overwhelming for any teenage girl, especially if he was a total jerk on top of it. He was probably locked up in his room, blasting music through his headphones as usual, but she knew the moment he found out she was missing she'd be done for. Levy knew she had to keep pushing forward; she was so out of breath that it hurt every time her lungs expanded and gasped for air, she felt as if her chest would cave in. She straightened her back and prepared herself for another sprint, but when she sensed something behind her she quickly snapped her face behind her shoulder. A figure was caught behind her, and Levy spun around fully when she found a man with his hands in his pockets, staring over at her.

"Tsk, tsk," the man replied, and he wasn't anyone Levy recognized. A slim man with light hair that grew over his ears and past his eyebrows gave Levy a cocky, sly smile. His eyebrows were angled upward as if what he saw was amusing, and when he stepped forward Levy took three steps back. "Bad little girl... didn't your mother ever tell you not to go out past dark?" He asked with a scolding tone one would use on a small child, and his lips twisted into a wicked smile as he saw Levy hunch her shoulders and back up with wide eyes. "For what reason is a sweet girl like you out in a place like this? You almost make it too easy."

"S-sorry," Levy started petrified. "I-I really need to get home right now, I don't have time to talk," she started and she turned around quickly to walk away from the situation. Levy felt her heart hammer against her chest as she sped walk, and when she heard his footsteps approaching her she tore into a full on sprint. She cried out when a pair of hands latched around her shoulders, and when she shrieked out the man smacked his palm over her lips to conceal any sound she could make.

"Now, now... cooperate before I hurt you more than I need to," the man whispered in her ear, and Levy's eyes shot open wide in fear. She was paralyzed from both fear and the way the man held her close to him. She felt her limbs go numb and prickle with the same feeling she received whenever her arms or legs fell asleep, and as panic coursed through her body she could hear her own breathing and every sense in her heightened. The man's breath was rancid and his body odors all the worse and more than anything she wanted the disgusting man's grimy hands off her body. Levy noticed a bystander walking towards them and hope made her heart jump out of her chest. She ripped away from the criminal or kidnapper or whatever he was, just in time to break her mouth free and cry out to the stranger. The stranger was yards away, hands dug in his pockets and red eyes glowing in the dark.

"Please sir, help me!" She desperate cried, just as the light haired man pushed her over the hood of a car parked parallel against the street. Her back landed roughly and forcefully onto the hood, and she cried out when the horrid man latched his hands around her throat and cut off part of her breathing. A trail of saliva escaped the corner of her mouth as he strangled her, and Levy clawed at his wrist to regain control of her breathing.

"Boy, you sure are an annoying bitch," the man groaned. He chuckled sadistically at her struggle, and with a nod of his head the man nodded towards the bystander still a few feet away. "Yes sir, please help us," he cried out in a mocking voice that made fun of the squirming girl beneath him. Hold this bitch down while I get started.

Levy's eyes widened when the stranger she called out to for help latched onto her wrists and helped pin her over the car. She struggled and squirmed and shrieked for help, but a gloved hand wrapped around her mouth to silence her, and all she could focus on was the smell of leather that covered the palm of his hand and the hot tears that rolled down her face. The streetlight above them gave out and flickered rapidly before surrounding them in the dark, a horrid representation that all of Levy's hope had come to a brutal end.

"Mash," a dark voice spoke up from next to her. "What are ya doin'?" She detected a nervous jump to the man's voice, but he suppressed it quickly.

"What's it look like, amateur? I'm gonna have my fun before we kill her," Mash started slowly, and he brought out a sharp, rigid blade that caught a glimpse of a streetlight up ahead and shined the light into Levy's terrified eyes. "Tell me little girl... how would you like to die? Should I cut you here..?" He asked slowly, dragging the blade slowly across Levy's neck and causing her to wail and struggle underneath Gajeel's hold. Mash didn't put enough pressure against the blade to cut her, but it taunted Levy to no end and she sobbed uncontrollably under Gajeel. "Or here?" Mash smiled widely, trailing the blade down her torso and circling her lower stomach. Levy kicked mash in the groin area as hard as she could, and Gajeel smirked when he saw the bastard's face squish up in pain. Mash recovered surprisingly quickly, and with a strained voice he angled the blade towards her. "So ya wanna play dirty, eh?" He asked threateningly, and to both Gajeel and Levy's surprise Mash dug the blade right under her breasts, a quick jagged line that ripped past the fabric of her shirt and cut through her skin. Gajeel was so taken aback that his grip on Levy's mouth loosened, and a heart clenching, guttural scream of agony filled the night air. "You'll regret kicking me, you fucking whore!" Levy's shirt ripped open and he immediately cut through her bra, her breasts fell out in the open, and as she became bare and exposed Gajeel turned away, horrified at the scene that was happening. This wasn't his first rodeo, he'd encountered worst thing in his eighteen years of living, and shamefully he had hit women before, but only when they'd gotten in the way. He'd never attacked someone so innocent, and he never considered molesting those he tormented, neither, it just wasn't how he did things.

 _"Stop!"_ Levy sobbed pitifully. _"Stop! Stop! No! Please!"_ She shrieked out, and without thinking Gajeel used all his force to ram Mash down and away from her. Gajeel couldn't stomach what was happening, and the man flew backwards into the road and stared up at him with an annoyed, pestered glare.

"The fuck is wrong with you?" Mash asked him with an insulted tone.

"Stay the fuck off of her," Gajeel warned, and momentarily Levy felt hopeful, until Gajeel turned to her with blood-red eyes. _"This aint yer kill,"_ Gajeel reminded him, and he retrieved the pistol from his back pocket. Levy cried out in horror at the new weapon, and Gajeel held it up for her to see. "I don't play around like ya do, I get to the fuckin' point and never waste my time," Gajeel scolded to the man still spread out over the empty street. The gun pressed against Levy's forehead and she whimpered before pouring out all the sobs that she kept within her when she was too scared to cry. She was bleeding out and topless before him, but all he could focus on was how heavy his finger felt against the trigger, as if it locked up and he weren't capable of pulling it towards him. He watched the way her eyes begged up at him, how her tears violently racked her body as she shook in fear. He clenched his teeth and focused on her eyes, at the person before him whose life was solely in his hands. It was an empowering feeling that lifted him up and made liquid fire course through his veins, and she continuously begged him no, still hopeful that somewhere inside him was a heart still willing to listen.

"Heh, that's the _black steel_ for you," Mash chuckled as he dusted himself off and brought up the name that had been associated with Gajeel's face on these streets. "What the Hell are ya waitin' for, huh? Fucking kill her! Kill her before I do!" He ordered, but as Mash demanded him to take action something boiled in Gajeel's blood, and if there was one thing about Gajeel that everyone usually learned the hard way, it was that the cold-hearted man refused to take orders. He couldn't stand being bossed around, and as he gritted his teeth with irritation and amplifying rage, he almost tuned out how Mash was continuously screaming at him to _do it— do it now! Kill her! Kill her!_ All the while the small, bluenette sobbed and bled out in front of him. The symphony of both of their cries was overwhelming, and he didn't know who he wanted to end and shut up first; Gajeel felt his entire body harden, and as he pressed the gun between her eyebrows, she whispered the smallest plea.

"Please, you don't have to do this," she sobbed, and although her voice was drowned out by Mash's screaming, Gajeel heard the young girl's voice clear as day. The gun trembled in his hands, he'd never killed someone before, and now with the bluenette girl in front of him, a sitting target awaiting death it was so close—right in front of him. Gajeel began sweating, his hand was cramping around the gun, and throughout his panic Mash screamed at him, ordering him to finish what they had started, and it drove him mad.

 _"Fucking kill her you weak piece of shit—!"_ He shrilled, but was silenced the moment Gajeel retracted the gun from Levy and turned to Mash, unloading his clip into the man's chest. One by one they roughly jerked Mash's body side to side as he took the impact of the gun shots, his eyes widen and mouth hung open as he watched Gajeel unload the gun's ammo at him. Gajeel kept firing until he was left with an empty weapon and sharp clicking noises when no more bullets were left to release. Mash stood there momentarily before he slumped to his knees and then fell forward and face down against the road. Gajeel kept his gun raised and continued to pull the trigger, lost in a horrified stance as he couldn't pull himself together, couldn't process what he'd done. The sobbing girl on the hood of the car had finally stopped crying out in horror, and when Gajeel didn't turn to look at her she pressed her shirt to her bleeding out wound and jumped off the car; she tore into the opposite direction and disappeared elsewhere, far out of his life where he'd never see her again. Or so he thought.

A puddle of thick, dark blood was growing from underneath Mash's body, and Gajeel felt as if he was going to hurl. He'd never killed someone before, and his locked up arm lost feeling and the gun slipped from his hand and crashed against the concrete with a loud threatening smash. His fingers shook against his will and uncontrollably, and the only way he felt he could stop the trembling was by balling his hands into fists. He was breathing heavy, absolutely petrified as he watched the body bleed out over the street; what the fuck was he gonna do now? He's never killed someone before, he's never had to, and now he was frozen in place, a sitting duck for the police that could already be heard in the distance, sirens blaring eerily through the darkened neighborhood.

"You mustn't worry, Gajeel," a grim voice spoke up from behind him. Between the buildings a large man with a twisted face and distinct mustache revealed himself underneath the moonlight. Gajeel turned around and watched Jose Porla with a pale face and chattering teeth. "The trembling will stop eventually. The first kill is shocking for most people. Before you know it, you won't think much with every life you claim— it gets better with time, Gajeel." He stepped forward and Gajeel pressed backwards, but stopped immediately when his boot landed in thick, warm blood. "We'll let the girl go, if she even makes it." Jose announced, clearly disinterested in the bluenette that witnessed the crime. "In the end you chose to murder your own peer, a member of your own gang..." Jose angled his face downward and smirked at the limp body on the floor. "You intrigue me, Gajeel... Phantom Lord is honored to accept you as one of us; a phantom for the rest of your days... a life for a life in our world." Jose opened his hand, but not for Gajeel to take, rather metaphorically in a sense to grant Gajeel the title he had so badly craved. The trembling died down a bit, and now his body softly shivered rather than jolted around. He snickered then, a forced _Gihee_ that wasn't his usual chuckle. He retrieved his gun off the floor and followed his new master into the creeping shadows of the alleyways, escaping just in time before the police turned the corner and spotted the body on the floor.

 **Present**

Gajeel remained on the roof of Levy's apartment. His eyes trailed the amount of cop cars that parked in front of the building. He spotted a few familiar faces: Juvia who was restraining Kurohebi whose eyes fluttered as he regained his consciousness and the girl from the blonde's birthday party, the one with the long brunette hair. What truly caught his attention was Levy, who's shoulders stayed hunched as she waited by one of the police cars; a blanket had been draped over her given the night had settled with a wet chill in the air, and the flashing blue lights danced against her pale complexion as she looked pitiful. Gajeel wanted more than anything to comfort her, pull her into his arms and say whatever she needed to hear, but he knew he had to stay away for the time being. The shock would be something Levy would have to shake off herself, and he was beyond grateful to find that she wasn't trembling anymore. She was a police officer after all, she knew there was the possibility of having to defend herself against criminals, and she'd prepared for this in training. However, she was a kind soul and it shook her to the core, he knew that. He knew Levy wouldn't want to hurt anyone if she could help it. Gajeel remained on the roof; he'd have to report the incident to Makarov for sure, that's if Laxus hadn't already, but he wanted to make extra certain that Levy was in proper hands before he left.

…..

Levy secured the blanket over her shoulders as she looked down at her tattered clothes. Blood covered the crisp white top and the side of her skirt had ripped up half way when she faced the large intruder. She had led him to the bedroom as a distraction, given she knew Gajeel would most likely become double teamed if she allowed the three of them to stay in the same room too long. She hadn't thought far past that however, and a giant form crashed through her bedroom door, shoving the dresser she used as a barricade towards her. She was hit then, and the large man picked her up by the crown of her hair and delivered a blow that he'd intended to use to knock her out, but she remained awake and snuck up on him when he least expected it. She shot him then, right in the head, and instant bull's-eye as Lucy called it in training with her thumbs up and eyes crinkling from her smile, when Levy's hollow bullet holes seared through the paper cut out of the silhouette criminal across the concrete room.

Just like the cut-out target, only this one bled and fell like dead weight, a gruesome sound that she'd never be able to forget. Levy bit down on her lip to stop it from quivering, the rest of her body had calmed down from its jolt of trembling. She took a deep breath in and collected herself when Laxus came into view, shadows casting his face apart from the darting blue that danced against his features from the lights above the police car. Levy felt bitter then, and she turned her face sharply away. "You can keep it to yourself," she ordered as her grip on her blanket tightened. "I already know what you're gonna say, but I had a horrible night and if you could save your stupid speech for tomorrow it would be really appreciated-," Levy swallowed her words when a nostalgic smell filled her capacity, and it was then that she registered it was his cologne. She felt large arms wrap around her and her face press against his neck. "L-Laxus?" She asked nervously when she was enveloped in her embrace.

"Thank God... Thank God you're okay, Levy," Laxus whispered between the both of them with so much relief she thought he'd actually tear up. "For a second I... I thought I lost ya," he admitted and he pulled away from her to look into her eyes. "You did good Levy, you did really an amazing job."

Levy's eyes widened at his praise, and something flipped around in her chest and stomach as she looked downward and tried to hide her blush. "Wh-what?" She asked carefully; maybe the bigger guy knocked her around too hard, she couldn't have been hearing him right. She stared hard at Laxus and awaited for a snarky response, perhaps maybe a backhand compliment except that she was waiting for the hurtful part, the insult that came after the appraisal. She was left with neither, however, and her heartbeat sped up considerably when he softly smiled towards her. "I'm sorry for underestimating you, Levy." He grew hesitant and his voice scratched this time, perhaps he was trying to hide how nervous he was becoming. "This is the last thing I wanted to happen, this is what I've been trying to avoid all this time. I didn't want you to get hurt," he spoke softly, so softly Levy almost missed it thanks to the commotion of officers going in and out of the apartment building.

"You can't protect me forever, Laxus," Levy explained to him, and it was the same conversation they've had plentiful times, but this time their tones were softer and their minds more open, and finally they listened to what the other person had to say. "I'm not a little kid anymore," Levy reminded with a small grin, but it felt like a chore to smile in the distressed state that she was in. It was calming in a sense how relaxing the conversation with Laxus was flowing, and despite it being the same context as usual their conversation wasn't as overbearing and emotional overwhelming as usual. Now she was looking into the eyes of the man she had fallen in love with so many years ago, and he the same, getting lost in time where he had once cared about her more intimately than he did now. It was nice, whatever the nostalgic spark brewing between them was, but the two of them knew it was nothing more— right?

"I know that Levy," Laxus started shortly and released the breath trapped in his chest. "It's just that... if you were to get hurt again I could never forgive myself. I pledged I wouldn't let something like that happen to you... not again..." His eyes trailed to abdomen where the scar was hidden beneath the blanket and her blouse; he didn't have to bring up great detail for what he was referring to, the incident from five years ago. Levy knew how much it concerned and hurt him to see her bleeding out and getting stitched up in the emergency room, especially after a long night of— to her surprise —him being terribly worried about her. Ever since then he'd become overly protective, a big brother who'd kill to protect his younger sister, but then that protective nature morphed into something more passionate yet softer; something intimate and warm. She understood why Laxus kept her away from the jobs now, especially after her near death experience with the red-headed woman Flare, but this was the career she chose and he had to remember that. She gave him a long, saddened look that made something knot up in his stomach.

"Clearly you proved to me that you aren't just the bookworm I grew up with," he grinned to tell her non-verbally that he was only teasing. "I'm moving you to front line, alongside the best we have to offer."

 _"Wait what?!"_ Levy pushed off the car she was leaning against, and she was so light headed and exhausted that she felt her knees buckle, but the news of her moving up in the ranks sent a bolt of energy striking through her. Natsu and Juvia handled front line alongside the departments most elite. "L-Laxus, you're joking!"

"The guys you took down are only a couple faces from the most wanted men in Fiore; we could use a lot more of your help and skills." Laxus crossed his arms over his broad chest in a way that was approving and not looking down on her. She smiled when he saw the way her eyes lit up considerably, and a wide in awe smile consumed her once pitiful expression. "In other words, I hope you're on good terms with Cana, because traffic duty is a thing of the past. You really did good, Levy."

"Th-thank you," Levy spat out, excitement and joy and so many positive emotions had a civil war within her mind against the fear and anxiety that took rampage after the incident in her apartment. She panicked when Laxus believed she took the two men out on her own; it was mostly Gajeel's doing, she did help out but if it were her by her lonesome she probably wouldn't be alive right now. Still, she knew this was her chance to show the department what she was capable of, a comeback after the embarrassing first day with Flare rough housing her; she was going to accept what she'd worked so hard for. She couldn't wait to tell Cana and Lucy, and despite her apartment being completely destroyed she at least had one good thing to look forward to. "Thank you, Laxus!" She squealed as she jumped into his chest and wrapped her arms around him in a warm embrace.

He hesitated when he realized they were in public, but something about the way her face pressed against his chest made him think otherwise, especially seeing a smile like that after she'd been so upset. He wrapped his arms around her as well, and his hand ruffled her hair, the same way he always did whenever they were younger. When had she grown up on him? Time flew and he couldn't pinpoint exactly when she blossomed into a woman, an out-going charismatic and strong young adult; whenever it was it had been in a time he took for granted, and now he realized just how much they've drifted since he began his career. He felt old then, old and tired and bitter, but her smile reminded him of their younger years, and that was enough to make him feel at peace.

However, only stories above them lurked a dangerous and sullen man who glowered downward at the scene. From the rooftop Gajeel forced himself to think nothing of it; he shouldn't have still been watching their interaction. He couldn't exactly tell what they were talking about, especially with Laxus slightly turned away from him, he seemed to be doing most of the talking. He assumed it was another lecture from her boss, but then Levy spontaneously threw her blanket aside and enveloped the man in a hug, nuzzling her cheek into his chest and smiling brightly, a smile Gajeel hadn't received from her in quite some time. His heart dropped to his stomach and cracked once it reached the pit, and it shattered then and there, and all the man fucking did was hug her and ruffle her hair. Why did it matter to Gajeel, anyway? It's not like she was his, they weren't even anything promising; just two lost souls that met at the worst of times, now completely in danger because they couldn't seem to stay out of one another's lives. All she did was smile at another man, and suddenly he felt... he... he didn't know what he felt.

He stood up slowly and turned away from the scene, ignoring the pinch in his chest. He had things to do, he had complications he had to sort out before both Makarov _and_ Ivan killed him. With a heavy heart Gajeel disappeared into the night, he could rest one way or another now that he knew she was in good hands, safe and protected. He refused to look back, and behind him was a misunderstanding, given afterwards Levy pressed away from Laxus and returned to her previous spot against the police vehicle. Perhaps she overreacted; this was her boss after all and she shouldn't be openly embracing him in public. "Will you be safe tonight?" He asked her gingerly.

She nodded softly. "Lucy offered me her guest bedroom," she explained.

"That's good," Laxus mentioned, and he squared his shoulders and returned to his gruff, authoritative persona. "I'm looking forward to what the future has in plan for you, McGarden."

"Right back at you, Dreyer," Levy relied dryly as she rolled her eyes when he referred to her by her last name. However, Levy left out the mentioning that she wasn't going directly to Lucy's home, which had to be a stupid choice but one she didn't think too deeply on. She felt confident enough, and a shadowy figure glaring at her and her boss from the reddened roof top made her heart feel uneasy. She refused to let the misunderstanding simmer down into something that took over his mind, the quiet man didn't hint that he was an over thinker, but this would definitely be something that bothered him. Levy collected herself and disappeared with Lucy, just to calm Laxus's nerves, but she parted from her friend and headed east bound to a familiar destination.

… **..**

A surprisingly sober bartender led an anxious Levy to a stairway towards the back of the bar; a strip of narrow stairs traveled up a dimly lit passageway that opened and welcomed her to a blanket of stars. The stars were surprisingly bright for a Magnolian sky, which had a died down glow due to the bright lights and lit up the numerous sky scrapers. She clenched her teeth given all she had was a loose blouse She left in the backseat of her car, she couldn't take anything from her apartment given now it was a huge crime scene decorated with yellow police tape, it looked like some kind of morbid Christmas present with all of its wrapping. The blouse was thin material and the ruthless cold bit her skin wherever it was exposed; her hands were growing numb and goose bumps prickled her skin. She tightened her muscles as she tried not to shiver, and as she reached the roof top she found a familiar silhouette of a man, watching the traffic beneath them bustle through the streets. He pointed facing the backside of the bar, which was in the direction of the heart of Magnolia, where buildings sprouted up like chutes of grass and their windows twinkled like the Milky Way. She sighed as she walked towards him, and he bristled up when he sensed her presence.

"Not much of a view now, is it?" Levy asked as she stepped beside him, where he leaned against the half wall that line the roof of the cafe. A makeshift patio that was once an outdoor eatery had been forgotten and neglected, and the scenery wasn't too extravagant anyway. All there was to view was the parking garage and a strip of skyscrapers in the distance, but nothing more than that.

"Ain't here for the view," He grumbled, and he felt his heartbeat slow down when Levy leaned against the half wall with him, staring into the distance the same way he was. "Ain't allowed back in the cafe," he explained, and he didn't go into detail about his drunken mess of a performance that basically got him banned for life.

The place still gave him peace of mind, and the roof top had become his safe haven, far away from Makarov and Ivan, out of the way— out of sight, out of mind. He hadn't come up here in quite some time; he'd grown very proud of himself for being capable of distributing his pent up aggression through his workouts and daily activities, but now he was in a slump that he couldn't sort out on his own. He couldn't figure out why his heart felt so heavy, and why every time he heard her voice his chest tightened in an uncomfortable way. She hadn't even done anything wrong, but now he was upset and he couldn't unravel his emotions. He didn't want to look at her and it took every fiber in his being not to turn to her quickly and admire everything that was Levy. He didn't last long, especially when she knocked something against his arm. He looked over at her, his stomach flipped when their eyes met. "What about it?" He asked.

"I thought maybe you'd like something warm," she started off shyly. "It's pretty cold tonight, don't you think?" She kept throwing a question at the end in hopes of starting off a conversation, but the man was hard to talk to as of now. She held the coffee up to him persistently, not willing to give up on him just yet. "Black with nothing in it, right?" She smiled softly. Apart from some sugar, of course, she made sure to stay away from the creamers that made his nose wrinkle.

His lips curled into a smirk, "so not only are you clever, ya got a great memory too."

"Maybe," she began as she warmed her hands against the to-go cup. They sipped their drinks in silence, and Levy didn't expect him to speak up. She didn't need him to; she just wanted some company, anything to get rid of the endless pit in her stomach that cheated with the evenings events. She just didn't want to be alone, she was fine with her solo life style but as of tonight she couldn't find peace of mind. She was almost surprised when he spoke up to her.

"Comin' after me again," he started with a low chuckle. "I'm dangerous, Shorty, wasn't that enough proof for ya earlier when we both almost got buried six feet under?" He asked her as he stared down at his coffee.

Levy smiled softly at that, "so that's your excuse for being lonely all the time?"

"Feh," he smirked at the idea. "I ain't lonely, Shrimp," but his words were shallow and gave off more than he realized. "Y'know, before I thought ya were stalking me like Juvia did that one bastard," he started, but Levy wasn't too sure who Gajeel was referring to. "But yer not like that rain woman," he started, and Levy didn't question the nickname nor how exactly well he knew Juvia. She was too captivated by what he was saying. Gajeel turned to her and their eyes met, and as he stared into her she felt something unleash in her; it couldn't be butterflies in the pit of her stomach, it felt more like a circus with feral animals busting out of their cages and causing chaos. "Ya would really risk yer life for me like that, Shorty?" He asked, almost in disbelief. His eyes grew sad for a reason Levy didn't exactly know why. "Why are ya still here, Levy?" He turned away then, and his distance felt like a physical shove away. "Ya got so much goin' for ya, ya ain't got time to risk yer life, yer career..." He started slowly, and his grip around his coffee tightened and began to tremble. "I ain't good enough for ya, a guy like me... how many times am I gonna have to tell ya that?" He asked her.

"Until you get tired of saying it," Levy challenged from beside him. Even if he wouldn't look at her she continued trying to reach out to him. "Whether you like it or not I got myself into this, and now it's the two of us, together." She glanced over at him. "And... I don't mind the danger, Gajeel. You know... you don't always have to be so alone... if you don't want to be."

"What do ya know about bein' alone?" He asked her, and not in a mocking way, but just his thoughts were finally rising to the surface audibly.

"You don't realize how alone you are until you have a taste of company. I finally spent a night with someone, and since then it hasn't been the same," she admitted. Gajeel looked over then, and he was caught glancing over when their eyes linked. He smiled softly at that, and it was nice to know the agonizing feeling that kept him up at night was mutual. He smiled a bit brighter when Levy flashed him a row of perfect teeth, but he noticed that her smile was chattering, and now he realized she was shivering all over. He had no idea she was cold, and with that being noted he set the coffee she bought him aside. Levy gasped when something heavy was draped around her shoulders, and she looked up to see Gajeel securing his jacket around her. She was now enveloped in his masculine scent, something that both enticed and calmed her. She knew she'd sound crazy if she admitted that it was now one of her favorite smells, so she kept it to herself and savored the way his cologne mixed with his natural aroma.

"Ya ain't gotta be alone neither, Levy," Gajeel whispered between them.

Levy lips parted and were left ajar when she was at a total loss for words. Her eyes sparkled then and her cheeks flushed, and now with her completely dazzled Gajeel felt the heat creep up his neck. What the Hell was he saying? Insecurities ticked in him and now he was embarrassed, and without realizing he had grown dangerously close, most likely far too close for her own liking. He was being careless; his emotions were getting the best of him. Gajeel backed a step away and coughed into the crook of his arm.

He cleared his throat, "how ya feelin'?" He asked nervously, and it was then that Gajeel realized he never threw the question around a lot. The words sounded like a foreign language, and apart from Lily and Makarov who spoke his language, he didn't speak to anyone else very much. He didn't approach people often, he didn't ask about their day, but with Levy it was different. He wanted to get to know her; he wanted to hear about her day. He quickly looked at her when she giggled to herself, and her smile made his heart flutter.

"Should I even explain?" She asked him as she sipped her coffee.

Gajeel avoided staring at her for too long. "Whatcha boss say?"

"Apparently he's proud of me," she said, still shocked about it all. "Unfortunately now the whole police station thinks I took down to mafia members by myself. They're going to give me harder jobs now. So I guess that means I won't have to worry about traffic duty anymore," she winked at him.

"That's great news, Shorty!" He expresses and was genuinely happy for her.

"I mean, but when you think about it..." Levy looked at him with an apprehensive look. "I'm basically lying about my capabilities. What if I get thrown into something I can't handle?" She looked down at the road now, away from his sparkling eyes and optimistic attitude about it. She felt more nervous than ever, even though this is everything she's every wanted.

"Yer overthinkin' it," Gajeel started, and he stopped her before she could ramble herself into a meltdown.

"Maybe I'm not overthinking it, Gajeel." Levy started, and by the way her eyes widened and she looked at him worriedly, he knew she was honestly very concerned about her predicament. "I'm going to be thrown in with Juvia and Natsu now, and even though it's been my dream to do missions of higher expertise I still don't know if I'm that up to task. All I wanted was to accompany Cana and not be stuck giving out tickets all day. Now I think I've bit off more than I can chew."

"Levy, yer capable of more than that damn salamander is any day."

"Salamander..? Are you talking about Natsu?" Levy furrowed her brows. He really did work for Makarov if he knew all the employees at the station, but now it seemed like he had a nickname for all of them.

"What I'm tryna say is ya shouldn't be worried. Ya got promoted, and yeah I helped ya some but ya still did a good fuckin' job takin' those guys down. Ya saved my ass back there, remember?" Gajeel asked her.

"But what if I get hurt?" Levy asked, cheeks still glowing from his compliment. Laxus had praised her too, and although both men nearly said the same thing, her reaction to Gajeel's acknowledgement was astounding in comparison to Laxus. Her heart was beating so hard she felt as though she'd faint, and her happy moment with her boss suddenly felt underwhelming. "The missions those guys go on are so dangerous, some officers haven't come back—,"

"No one is going to hurt you," Gajeel started sternly, and his promise came out of him more like an order.

"Says who?" Levy challenged.

"Says me," Gajeel took up her challenging glare, and now a romantic moment was slowly steering into a heated argument.

"You can't protect me forever," Levy growled. "I'm not the only one who makes people repeat themselves around here. How are you going to keep me save twenty-four-seven?" She didn't stop there, not even when his expression crumbled into a hopeless reaction to her sharp words; she was right and they both knew it, but Gajeel wished more than anything that it weren't true. "And you don't need to protect me forever," she replied, her eyes narrowing with an emotion he couldn't read. "You're not obligated to, you shouldn't feel like it's your responsibility, I-I'm, It's not like I'm your problem anyway. I'm my own problem," Levy explained, but her words softened. Perhaps she wanted to be his problem, of course not in that sense, she didn't want to be a burden, but she wouldn't mind if he thought of her as much as she thought of him. Did he? She had no idea where they stood in this friendship- if they could even call it _that_. More than anything she hoped her words would trigger a confession of some sort; why did he feel the need to protect her? Perhaps he felt something? She needed to hear what he was thinking, just something to help her understand. What were they?

"I want ya to be my problem, Shorty. With all the trouble ya caused us, ya already are my damn problem." He leaned closer, and those ruby eyes flashed with a playful light that helped her interpret his harsh words with a light hand. He was only poking fun at her, and she giggled at that. His hand stabled him against the half wall as he leveled their eyes closer, and with a softened look he stared at her for a few moments, lost in that damn gold that was starting to drive him crazy. "I want to protect ya, Lev." He admitted between them.

"I want to protect you too, Gajeel." She started. "You probably won't need me too often, but—," she caught herself before she could start rambling again. Her words got caught in her throat anyway, especially now that Gajeel's studded brows raised at Levy's confession. "I… I want you safe, Gajeel." She admitted softly. "You're very important to me," she announced, and the words flew out of her as if they'd sprouted wings; she couldn't catch them. The two of them stared at one another for what felt like a life time, but in reality it were only seconds. Levy felt all the blood rush to her face as she turned around quickly. She must have sounded crazy, going around speaking her mind when she hardly knew how he felt for her. She pushed away from him, and Gajeel's eyes narrowed sadly when she broke away. "I-I'm sorry, I-I'm not trying to creep you out or anything," Levy started to justify what she believed was an out of place statement. "I mean, just, you're important to me because—I mean," she stumbled over her words and continued to dig her grave deeper and deeper. Now she was panicking, but something caught her attention in her chaotic distress.

Levy felt his hand reach under her chin, and before she could protest he pulled her face to her's in a kiss. She was so taken aback that she dropped her drinks immediately, and the to-go cup toppled over the concrete roof top. The spill made her jump and parted their lips away, and as she backed up she was met with his smile. "G-Gajeel what are you doing?" She asked nervously. Her heart was beating so fast, she could hear it like a drum pounding throughout her body, and the look on his face didn't make it easier for her. He was so handsome to begin with, but the lustful way his eyes glowed set her body on fire.

"What's the matter, Shorty?" He asked, stepping over the coffee and closing the space between their bodies. "So yer telling me you can kiss me whenever ya feel like but when I do it's a big deal?" He asked her. "We're even now, ain't we?"

Levy's eyes softened at that and she shook her head no. "I don't want to be even, Gajeel." She whispered, and she stepped on her tip toes to capture another kiss, in which he gratefully returned the favor. Levy couldn't explain why what she was doing felt so right, so natural, and she relished the way their chests pressed together; his body heat warmed her generously and suddenly the once shivering woman felt as if she was on fire. Gajeel, on the other hand, was having a far less calm reaction; his mind was exploding in fireworks when he held her in his arms, his hands fit perfect in the dips of her sides, where her torso curved into rounded hips. He sipped his face lower so she wouldn't have to try so hard to reach him, and he compensated their height difference by leaning forward, kissing her softly until his lips grew hungry and they wanted everything to do with him. When their lips parted he carefully looked into her eyes, he saw a world through her irises that he wanted more than anything to explore. Slowly but surely he was feeling something he hadn't experienced before, his mind grew fuzzier and he had to remind himself to breathe. And as inconvenient as it was for every fiber in his being, every thought in his chaotic mind to be devoted to Levy, Levy, Levy, he couldn't stop. He didn't want to.

"Levy," he started off breathlessly.

"Gajeel?" She asked softly.

His eyes softened, "let me buy ya another coffee, since ya dropped yers."

Levy's eyes widened in surprise, but quickly she fell into a cute giggle. "Okay," she agreed, and she accepted the offer as she followed him to the door. 

A/N: Lol I always thought Mash was annoying in Rhodinite so it was satisfying to kill him off. Also, I'm excited for the lemons at the beginning of chapter 9! I'll see you soon! ;)


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** **Hello rosebuds and welcome back! As mentioned before I did promise Lemon, and since it's been 8 chapters since I made it VERY long, so the beginning and end of the citrus will be separated by [XXX] for anyone who wants to skip it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading, I love you!**

 **Chapter 9**

 **"This is officer McGarden** **reporting** from Point B, the enemy has been spotted," Levy informed her teammates through her transmitter as she crashed through the nearest office space. The suddenly busted down door and the sight of a police officer had made a terrified crowd abandon their hiding places and charge for the hallway that Levy had just come from. The employees victim to the terrors of the building's shoot out were now running for their lives in her general direction. Levy pressed her back firmly against the wall in order to dodge and brace herself for the stampede of sporadic employees; seeing them this scared was a bad sign, and with that being noted she reached for her gun. "Suspect is approximately six feet, Alvarian descent heading towards the East exit."

"Roger that," Cana's voice started from her handheld. "Position towards the East front!"

Levy continued her sprint when the room was almost evacuated and she had a clear shot towards the door. Through her run she heard Juvia's voice, crisp and clear in a chaotic and loud environment.

"That man is a monster, Levy. Juvia begs you to take precaution." Her voice muted when and a crackling noise came to the speaker as she must have placed her handheld back into her pocket. Levy did the same and instead held her gun, and as she made it to the grand hallway of Magnolia's capitol bank, she was lost in a strip of cathedral like windows, not knowing which way exactly the man went. He was heading East, and she derived the outside of the building from her memory as she tried to figure out the floor plan, if he was heading this direction than sooner or later he'd reach a dead end, the East entrance that would only lead him to a risky escape— that's if he could get past Cana's group. Levy heard footsteps come from behind her, and she turned around just in time to see a twisted smile, yellowed and wicked, the man's clothes stained in the blood of the innocent.

"Looking for something?" A masculine voice asked from beside her, and just as he reached to aim Levy had successfully ducked and covered, rolling towards the staircase just as the stone cracked from the force of the bullet meant for her head. "Hmph, not bad little girl. You really are a fast one, guess it compensates that height of yours! C'mon now, little one, fight me like a real police offi-," but he was silenced when Levy's frame immediately came back to view and fired towards him; the criminal swore under his breath and ran to the nearest corner, and just as Levy counted down the seconds before she'd brace herself for the next array of bullets she was left in silence. Was he being stealthy or was he—

"Levy, he's getting away!" Juvia bellowed from the handheld on her hip. Levy's mouth dropped open and felt her face glow brightly.

"You're kidding me, he left?!" Levy asked astounded. "The coward!"

"Target is spotted in the right corridor," Juvia announced through the handheld. Levy panicked and jumped back to her feet, reloading her gun and chasing past the corner where the man had disappeared to. Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, Levy chanted under her breath as she realized the man was getting away. Juvia was handling the other gang members patrolling the area, on the lookout Levy knew she was watching her in some sense. She had to prove herself. She helped out the last couple of missions, but this time she wanted to take charge. "Be on the lookout, Juvia has identified the gang as Eisenwald, they've been robbing banks all across Fiore, unfortunately successful every time. It would only make sense that their grand finale would be Magnolia capitol, we mustn't let them escape."

"You don't have to worry about that, I'm on it," Levy promised as she charged down the next corridor. More unfortunately Magnolia Capitol was the largest bank Levy's ever stepped foot in; she was growing weary just from running for so long, but she refused to let the man slip away. She'd made that mistake with Flare, and she wasn't going to allow it again! Levy reached a dead end with only a right doorway available. She immediately kicked through it, and when the hallway light illuminated the dark room her body tensed significantly. Amongst the destructed filing cabinets was the gang member himself, dark hair and eyes blending in with his shadowed aura. In his hand held his gun, pressed against the temple of the woman who he'd captured. Levy gritted her teeth at the man's sinister snicker, and with every- thud, thud, thud -the man made tapping the tip of the gun against the hostage's head, the girl whimpering intensified alongside Levy's seething.

"Now, now, officer, what do we have here?" He asked Levy with a wide smile. His grip around the woman's white hair tightened painfully as he held her up for Levy to see, the poor woman balanced on her tip toes as the rest of her body trembled heavily in fear. "C'mon cutie, what was your name again?" He asked the woman, and when she froze and didn't respond he roared in her ear and pressed the gun firmly against her skin. "Tell me before I fucking kill both of ya!"

"Y-Yukino!" She shrieked out as his grip on her hair tightened. The silver haired woman was dressed in a white button down and high waisted black skirt; tan tights hugged her slender legs and disappeared beneath professional, maryjane styled heels. Her name tag dangled pitifully from her shirt, bent around and almost completely broken. She must have been one of the workers seeking shelter in the shoot out, and must have assumed remaining in her hiding place would have been more promisingly safer than running through the hallway that had just gotten gunned down.

"What a pretty name for a pretty lady," the man purred in her ear, and Yukino gritted her teeth and glared at him viciously when he chuckled towards her. "Now officer, lets cooperate unless you want to be responsible for little Yukino's brains being splattered around the fucking walls," he threatened, tapping the against her head again and making the poor girl tremble uncontrollably. Yukino's wide eyes begged Levy for help, and now Levy was in a predicament she'd never experienced before.

"Let her go," Levy ordered, in which the man cranked his neck back and let out a loud, maniac-like laugh. It rumbled through him like thunder and made the color from Yukino's face drain instantly.

"Oh, oh that's classic," the man snickered with tears prickling his eyes. "Let me just throw her towards you officer, really is that the best you can say?"

"Let her go and take me instead," Levy bargained, and both the hostage and the villain's eyes widened at the deadly offer. "This is our fight, the innocent shouldn't be involved."

Her courage's words must have impressed the man, given for a second his harsh scowl mellowed into a pleasant smile, his gun momentarily left Yukino's head in which she let out a distressed sigh. The gang member looked Levy up and down with a wide smile, taking everything in from her petite frame to her inadequate height, and of course he couldn't get over her cute little face: round, doe-like eyes and flushed cheeks. "For such a small, pathetic little thing you have quite the spirit. That or you simply must be begging for a death wish... but I'll play your game little fairy... only if you drop your weapon first."

The bargain made the hairs stand on the back of Levy's neck; a distressed hostage's mouth dropped open in disagreement. "Don't do it!" Yukino cried out to Levy, but her eyes widened with disbelief when Levy threw her gun to the side where it skidded towards the back of the room, out of sight and out of mind. She didn't dare keep her eyes off of the criminal, and she shuddered at the way his smile sickly widened like the monsters from children's book, the ones who lingered in the shadows with large, glowing eyes.

"Hmph I've got to hand it to you, you're even stupider than I thought!" The man snickered once more, and just as his fist yanked around Yukino's hair and she hissed, he roughly pushed her forward and towards Levy's feet. Yukino fell pitifully as she stumbled downward; once she landed roughly she propped herself on an elbow and backed away towards Levy, shaking uncontrollably and glaring with gritted teeth towards the villain. "Now... didn't you say..? What was it?" The villain pretended to be confused momentarily as he tried to remember their agreement from earlier. Yukino and Levy both visibly stiffened up when the gun twitched in his hand, but in contrast to Yukino's palpable fear Levy remained still and silent. His eyes lit up as he exaggerated his horrid memory, and with a sneer he glared into Levy. "A life for a life, am I correct?" He raised his gun up then, and aimed it towards Levy, right between her brows. "Such a resilient face, so calm for someone who's only seconds away from her fate. You really are a fascinating one to kill—,"

"Drop you weapons!" A voice demanded from behind him, and the Eisenwald man's eyes widened at the sound. He turned immediately to the owner of the voice, Juvia, who had popped up from behind one of the filing cabinets with her weapon out in front of her. Now officers from the front line were popping up out of no where, creeping up from behind desks, filing cabinets and emerging from the debris as they all held out their guns until the man was surrounded.

"What the fuck? H-How did you all- you're supposed to be _dead!_ " He roared, referring to the loud shoot out that happened only moments before in the bank.

"Juvia is sorry to announce that your little friends are either dead or captured," Juvia announced with a stoic stare, not a single drop of emotion on her face. With a robotic tone she ordered him again, "You really shouldn't underestimate someone for their size—," Juvia smirked when Levy caught the man off guard and kicked his weapon out of his hand. The man cried out in agony momentarily, all the while Levy preformed a special move, the same one she used on Gajeel in the alleyway, where she kicked upwards once more. The man made a loud _oomf_ as he collapsed to the ground, and as he scurried on his knees and hands towards his weapon, he was stopped when a combat boot landed with a harsh on his gun, he growled upwards at Levy who claimed his weapon, but his blood drained when Juvia continued speaking. "—The size of a person isn't always detrimental to their capabilities, in fact, I think it proved officer McGarden wonders in deceiving you as well as leading you to our trap. Juvia is joyous to inform you, Kageyama, that your destructive days are over."

The man's eyes widened with fear at the depth of Juvia's words, only to be reeled back to the short officer, the putrid wench that fooled him to begin with. "You're under arrest," Levy declared, one hand on her hip and the other one twirling her handcuffs along a slim finger. The Eisenwald member gritted his teeth, only to jump towards Levy in an attack. All in vain the man ended up screaming in hopes of somehow delaying his ordeal, and with restrained wrists bound behind his back he growled and tugged viciously as he was escorted out of the bank. _I'll kill you— I'll kill all of you!_ The man promised, and Levy sighed as she turned away from the scene; she didn't want everyone to notice how horridly she was sweating, she was soaking her police uniform from how nervous she was. She thanked God that she handled it well, being held at gun point was nerve wracking, but she did the only thing she could think of in the moment. A hostage was involved, it wouldn't have been save to shoot him, not without there being a risk. The adrenaline was wearing off and now she was panicked over an event that had already been resolved, Levy calmed herself down but was assisted once she heard a reassuring voice in the distance. "Heya, Lev! Nice job!"

"Cana!" Levy cried out ecstatically as she jumped into her friend's arms; their fingers interlocked as Levy pulled away and she jumped around excitedly. "Can you believe it?! I totally just arrested that guy! He had no idea what had hit him!"

"Hell yeah I saw ya," Cana shot her a proud grin. "That's what I'm talking about, sent those assholes beggin' for mercy. I'm proud of ya, Lev."

Levy giggled as happiness radiated through her, one could see such joy glowing on her skin. However, she was thrusted out of her giddy moment when a sharp pain struck the center of her forehead. She made a squeak as she immediately rubbed the burning spot on her face. "What was that for?" She asked Cana, who had just flicked her with the help of her thumb and index finger.

"Don't be an idiot like that ever again! Risking yourself at gun point, are ya fuckin' crazy?" Cana placed her hands on her hips and glared down at the bluenette who avoided eye contact. Like a child caught red handed, she was definitely under the spotlight.

"Y-yeah, that coulda ended badly." Levy agreed to her clearly-concerned best friend.

Cana sighed away her frustration and ended up with a soft smile, "what am I gonna do with you?" She asked tiredly, but her attention was alert once more when she noticed a reddish color blushing against Levy's skin, and when the young, bluenette girl tilted her head upward and subconsciously adjusted her police uniform, bruises poked out from under her blue collar. "Wait a second baby blue... how badly did ya get hurt during this mission? Are ya okay?" Cana asked, reaching towards Levy's shirt to get a better inspection of the discoloration.

"I-I'm fine!" Levy clarified as she quickly twisted away from her friend's reach. "J-just shaken up 'cause I nearly died is all! Y'know how it goes— hahaha!" Levy's nervous laughter piped in and Cana's clever, mischievous mind worked quickly as she read through her cute friend's white lies.

"Ahhh... I see." Cana nodded with an evil chuckle. She knew Levy was an adult and would talk about it when she was willing, if she even wanted to that is. For now she'd leave it be and respect the privacy. She was conflicted on whether or not she should provide Levy with some helpful tips on covering up the hickeys near her collar bones, but she knew Levy would either die of embarrassment or deny the whole thing ever happened. She was a witty girl and her brains and knowledge could get her out of anything, but Cana was clever as well—it also didn't take a genius to figure out Levy had love bites running up her neck. They were thick and dark, fresh from a few nights before. Cana decided to give her a break. "Well I hope whatever caused it didn't hurt too badly."

"Hahaha... yeah..." Levy mumbled as she went into a daze as she obviously reflected on the activities that lead to the bruising in the first place.

"You're hopeless, blue," Cana sighed as she left her friend behind and returned to the scene outside of the bank which was littered with curious pedestrians and a parade of ambulances, fire trucks and police cars. Levy shook herself out of her daydreams and quickly looked around in embarrassment to make sure no one had seen her so off guard. She quickly buttoned up her uniform to suppress the memories reflecting her intimate evening earlier that week, and with a ruffle of her hair she quickly followed after Cana.

 **The core members** **of the notorious** gang, Eisenwald, had successfully been placed behind bars, and a healthy handful of their gang had been arrested or were in the process of such. A gang that's been a growing migraine for nearly half a decade was finally reaching its end, and Levy felt honored to be part of such a major milestone in Magnolia Crime's history. After a high praise given from Laxus, Levy's unit of the front line was dismissed for the evening and all respectably went to the locker rooms to peel out of their tattered and sweaty uniforms. Levy made sure to be extra precautious when topless, and after a hot and rewarding shower she wiped the fogged glass of the mirror to reveal her reflection. Her bottom lip was a bit swollen still from the brutal blow to the face she got the other night when her apartment was broken in to, but luckily it was seeming to get better. She'd ice it later. However, what really caught her attention was the bruises Cana had caught peaking from Levy's collar when it was popped undone after a afternoon of toppling around the bank's floors to avoid bullets flying overhead. She sighed when she witnessed what a mess she was; love bites had left behind reddish-purple marks trailing down the side of her neck and across her collarbones. Individual hickeys were places sporadically around her nipples and over the soft skin of her breasts. The bruises were a clear reminder of what had happened, and when she looked hard enough she could almost picture him in front of her, teeth sinking into her skin, the pleasurable sensation of his tongue flicking against her. The makeup had washed off in the shower, and now she was left with an artistic memory of the intimacy that occurred only nights before.

It was embarrassing, but as her fingers trailed over the love marks, dragging over where his lips had once kissed, tongue had flicked over and teeth sunken in, she felt her chest expand as her breathing grew heavy. Right then and there as she observed her reflection she could almost picture Gajeel doing it now, working his magic as he kissed and tasted every inch of her, his large hand wrapping around her neck as he made her watch what he was doing, and tilting her neck around as he pleased in order to have more access, more to kiss and explore, and more to—

Levy shook her head frantically and wet locks of hair splattered water droplets across the tile floors. She was getting far too worked up about it, she was even worse off than she was the first time Gajeel had pleased her. This time was different, there was a softness to his touch that was absent their first night, and the way he looked at her, it was just as lustful as the time they met, but this time his red eyes held a deeper color. He looked like he cared about her, and his lustful gaze didn't wasn't hollow with a stranger's disinterest, it was a bright red with something sweeter to it, something almost loving but not quite there. Perhaps it _was_ there, love that is, and she refused to believe it. The thought made her heart pound even harder.

Levy wrung the water from her now drenched hair and stared with hooded eyes at nothing in particular. She licked her lips as memories flooded her from that night, burned fire through her that excited her whole body, but most unfortunately settled a deep sadness in her stomach that she didn't realize was the feeling of longing she felt towards Gajeel. She wanted to see him again, sometime soon, but for now his whereabouts remained unknown. She prayed for his safety every minute on the hour. Suddenly the heated room felt very cold and goosebumps plagued her skin. Her heated lust died down into desperate worry.

 **Two Nights Before**

A flustered Levy had spilled her drink all over the upstairs patio of the cafe. A heart-clenched Gajeel offered to reimburse her accident with a makeshift date. The scene shifted to a roaring night life that didn't know sleep, and the bright, beautiful string lights that strummed the alleys of one of Magnolia's hottest night time attractions always captivated Levy; her eyes widened as she stared up at them, her mouth in a big goofy in-awe smile that showed off her perfect teeth. Gajeel was also captivated by beautiful sights, but he didn't notice the decorations strung above them that intrigued Levy; instead, he was more focused on the way the lighting illuminated her featured and made her eyes glow golden. It was a regular outside mall that she enjoyed with the comfort of her friends and thought nothing more of it, but now suddenly at the side of Gajeel the typical scene for a girl's night out felt rather intimate, and those cheap little string lights suddenly twinkled like stars, and sharing an ice cream come with someone didn't sound as gross and unappealing as it had when other guys offered. Levy's eyes widened as she remembered their predicament and she turned to Gajeel worryingly. He noticed her abrupt stop and turned to her with furrowed brows. "Shorty?"

"Gajeel, don't you think it's bad for us to be seen out in public like this?" She asked worriedly, and thoughts of earlier that evening had came back to her. "They found us in the comfort of my own home, and now we're just parading the streets of Magnolia like nothing ever happened."

Gajeel would have brushed it off if it weren't for the way Levy pouted at him. She was a clever girl and always thought logically, it's what he liked about her, but with how shaken up she'd gotten earlier that evening he wanted to cheer her up some. She was absolutely right, but Gajeel felt comfort in their night out, though he didn't know exactly how he'd convince her of this. "Maybe," Gajeel mumbled to the both of them with a shrug. "It's Makarov's orders, though."

"What?" Levy asked as she fully stopped this time and turned to him. "Why would Makarov call for this?"

Gajeel shrugged. "It was something to do with our homes not bein' safe. Yers is destroyed and it ain't wise if I go back to my place. He advised we stayed somewhere else, far outta town. Even stayin' with the blonde would be dangerous for you as of right now."

"Is Lucy in danger?" Levy asked in full alert.

"She ain't the one Ivan wants," he reassured her, and he frowned when Levy sighed and visibly relaxed. "You ain't gotta worry about that, got it?" He asked her. "It's all being taken care of by the master. Yer really important to him. Is he a distant relative or somethin'?" Levy didn't nod up at him, instead she stared ahead and forced herself to finish the coffee that he bought her. Now she really looked like something was on her mind, and now it was Gajeel who was stopping the both of them. "Lev," he started off with a tired voice. "What's the matter?"

"It's nothing, it's just something stupid that's bothering me," Levy started and turned away from him with what seemed like no interest in opening up.

"I ain't buyin' it," Gajeel began. "Ya were just laughing and joking around a minute ago. What's gotten into ya? And I doubt it's what happened earlier," Gajeel started as he looked down on her, and now Levy felt like a child being put under the spotlight.

"You're more clever than you claim yourself to be," Levy grumbled in an irritated manner. When Gajeel didn't budge she sighed and turned her body sharply away. "I-I'm kind of disappointed that you're taking me out because it's an _order._ "

Now Gajeel was raising one of his studded brows in a puzzled expression. "Huh? Why would that make ya upset? Aren't ya having fun?"

Levy furrowed her brows at him and gave him a good glare, a look that only confused Gajeel even more. "I thought you were taking me out because you wanted to spend time with me—!" Levy's voice raised a bit more than she anticipated, and now a few heads were turning in their direction; when she realized how weird she must have sounded she quickly simmered down and shrugged it off. "Or something," she added shyly, now blushing uncontrollably. "Not that it matters, I-I don't care," she began babbling, and this was where she'd normally go into a full on rant as she panicked like crazy, but now she was speechless with Gajeel staring at her so intensely.

"Oi, you got the wrong idea," Gajeel started as he stepped in front of her. "It's not just about Makarov, I took ya out because I wanted to, Lev."

"What?" She asked shyly, and she turned to his face only to see him blushing as well. The red reached his ears and his eyes narrowed as he tried to overcome the way his stomach was churning just from being the center of her attention. "You mean it?" Levy asked carefully, and when Gajeel turned to her he was met with a wide and happy smile that looked so damn good on her, he never wanted to see her sad ever again.

He coughed awkwardly into the crook of his arm. "Wh-why wouldn't I, Shorty?" He asked her, and he panicked when he saw tears prickle her eyelashes. "Oi, wait, don't get upset, I'm just, I didn't mean it—," he panicked as he waved his arms around, but Levy took him by surprised when she hooked their arms together at their elbows and leaned against his side.

"I'm not gonna cry, don't worry," Levy laughed as she blinked away her tears. "I'm just really happy, Gajeel."

"Really?" He asked her.

"Mmm," she smiled up at him, and that was all the reassurance he needed. He felt himself smiling back at her, and he didn't hide it. Seeing her happy made him feel real damn good, he couldn't explain it, and as he tried figuring out exactly why his mind was blowing into fireworks all of a sudden Levy caught his attention. "It's so late," Levy announced when they reached the water fountain at the square. In the near distance stood the clock tower, and it was already pushing towards an hour past midnight. "I just need this whole day to be over," she sighed.

Gajeel tensed up slightly, "I know a place we can stay at for the night." He began, and Levy looked up at him with a faint blush when it was indicated that they were going to be enjoying the evening together past their date. She didn't protest, and when he nodded at her to follow him, she didn't hesitate.

The room had a lovely view of the city, with bottles of complimentary wines placed on the small table by her bag. It was far more extravagant than the usual room, and to her surprise only a king sized mattress was perched at the center of the suite. It was due to the woman at the front desk assuming they were a couple, especially when Gajeel refused to allow Levy to split pay the cost, and practically shoving his card towards the woman. She offered them a deal with a deluxe suite, but now Levy's heart was pounding when she found that they were going to share a place to sleep. To prevent herself from the awkward encounter she began readying her bed on the couch, fluffing pillows and sorting blankets where they needed to go. Gajeel found her in the midst of her arranging her makeshift bed and wrinkled his nose. "The Hell are ya doin, Shorty?"

She didn't look up from her task, "I mean, you paid for the room so it only makes sense that you get the bed," she started.

"I ain't lettin' ya sleep on the couch, Levy." His voice held a tone that showed he wasn't giving her room to argue, and his words rolled over her shoulders given she refused to look at him. "I'll take the couch. The only reason they gave us this upgrade is cause I know the people who run the place," Gajeel explained.

"Really?" Levy asked as she finished tucking the blankets into the cushions. She turned around finally, only to snap her face away immediately. Why was it that every time he was shirtless she felt as if she had just been electrocuted? He didn't even realize how badly he effected her, given he had helped himself to a water bottle and mindlessly flipped through all the freebies the hotel had to offer. With his back turned to her she took in every detail, every inch, and suddenly she wondered what it had looked like the morning after with her nail marks, red streaks clawing down his back for every time he'd pleasured her considerably—

 _What in Fiore was she even thinking?!_

"Here," he said as he pressed the iced water against her shoulder blade. She jumped sharply at the cool touch and gave him a stern pout, in which he smiled mischievously. She was so on edge, luckily she was able to brush it off by reminding him she had such a traumatizing day. Although, the events from earlier had nothing to do with how badly her heart was hammering against her chest.

"Thank you," she smiled before twisting the cap open. She sighed and pushed off the couch and offered it to the large man. "It really is late, wanna call it a night, Gajeel?"

"Hmph," he replied shortly, and Levy got a better response by the way the large frame slammed onto the couch cushions completely exhausted. They've been through a lot today, and her body was aching more than anything. She turned around nervously when the two of them began dressing down. It was humorous in a way that they've already seen each other fully naked, but now in a different atmosphere it felt as if they were starting all over again. There was silence in the room apart from the way clothing rolled off their skin, jeans pooling to the floor and her bra unclasping. He looked behind his shoulder once, just to see her back facing him of course. He knew when he turned around he wouldn't see anything, and he didn't particularly want to. He just couldn't get over the fact that they were here, together, in this whole fucked up predicament _together._ They were in danger, but he felt calm and steady, and he watched the way the moonlight coming from the balcony illuminated her pale skin. He turned around quickly, focused on unlacing his boots, but now his mind was chaotic.

He heard the bed creak from her weight and she snuggled under the sheets; he sighed and released the breath of air trapped in his chest. He lied down and tried not to let his thoughts keep him up, but there were so many things he had to sort out. First he needed to hear how Makarov wanted to play this all out, and secondly he needed to be careful and figure out a cover up for Ivan. Ivan would want to know where he was today. There's also the living arrangement with Shorty that was bothering him. It was too damn risky now for her to live with him, and would she even want to at this point? Time ticked by slowly in the silence of the hotel, and he was alone with his thoughts as the night dragged by. However, he noticed the woman on the bed behind him was rather restless, and her small frame continuously tossed and turned uncomfortably. Gajeel sighed when the cock ticked towards three A.M and she still wasn't sound asleep, and so with a hoarse voice he called out into the dark void.

"Why ain't ya asleep, Shorty?" Gajeel smiled when he heard the way she gasped, unaware that he was awake as well.

In which she replied instantly, "I should be asking you." He heard her sit up in bed. "I can't sleep," she admitted in a small voice. "After today I... I don't know."

"Still shaken up about those guys?" He asked her the obvious. Silence rewarded him and answered his question. He took a deep breath in and thought of the right words to say.

"Gajeel?"

"Hm?"

"Would you... would you sit next to me? Since you're awake anyway?" She asked carefully, and Gajeel's eyes widened at the offer. He sat up slowly then, and as his eyes adjusted to the room only lit by soft moon light through the curtains, he could see Levy sitting against the head board, watching him. Her bangs brushed her eyes and her hair was a mess, and she kept he blankets around her securely.

"If ya want," He lifted himself off the couch and if he thought he was restless before he was definitely wide awake now. "Do ya... erm... wanna talk about it?"

"Mm-mmm," Levy denied the offer and shook her head no. "I just wanted some company is all. I-if you don't mind."

"I ain't minding it, Shorty." Gajeel started as he crawled into bed beside her.

She smiled softly at that, and her eyes trailed to the balcony and the stars, the fixated point she'd been staring at for the past hour and a half. She kept her gaze averted as Gajeel grew comfortable next to her, and electricity shot up her arm from where his hand brushed her's. She sighed when she felt his chest press against her side, and he comforted her with his presence rather than his words, which was exactly what she needed.

"Gajeel?"

"Hm?"

"What you said earlier... you were telling the truth, right?" Levy asked carefully, and she looked behind her shoulder at him. "That I didn't have to be alone if I didn't want to?"

"I wasn't lyin', Lev." Gajeel whispered.

"Then... would you sleep next to me?" She asked shyly.

"S-sure," Gajeel stammered, suddenly flustered out of no where.

She smiled gratefully. "Thank goodness, my thoughts are getting the worst of me," she admitted as she placed two fingertips to one her throbbing temples. "If I keep going at this rate, I'll overthink myself into a meltdown."

"Ya need to relax, Shorty." Gajeel suggested, and he moved towards her. "C'mere."

"Eh?" Levy asked and she looked over at Gajeel who was flicking one of the side table lamps on. It was set to a dim lighting that casted shadows all around the hotel room. "W-wait, I'm not properly dressed," Levy started dumbly, suddebly bashful about her body. It's been so long since he's seen in and she didn't know if it would be normal to openly reveal herself to him.

"Ya ain't gotta face me, Shorty. I'm just gonna help ya since yer so tense," he explained, and when he maneuvered her to where he could settle behind her, her heart beat raced considerably. She gasped slightly when she felt his hands on her shoulders, and then her shock melted into comfort as she sighed heavenly at he way his large hands kneaded her sore shoulders.

"Ah, thank you," she sighed wondrously as her head grew heavy and leaned forward. "That feels wonderful," she admitted as he firmly yet with a soft touch rubbed her upper back.

"It's nothin"," he shrugged it off.

"Mmm. Where'd you learn to give such great massages?" Levy asked as she melted in his arms.

Gajeel swallowed the tension in his throat when she released and soft moan when he dug circles into her skin with his thumbs. "No idea," he admitted. "Levy, the sheets," he nodded at her.

"Ah, sorry," she stammered before dropping the sheets off her shoulders to reveal her bare back. It was clear that she was practically naked underneath, and Gajeel meant to keep the moment innocent as she was in a time of need, but damn if he didn't feel as if he'd go insane. He continued to massage her regardless of his own needs, and she seemed to really enjoy it and was finding it easier to wind down. That's what really mattered. Gajeel smiled when she giggled as she suppressed the pain of him digging out a knot that's been bothering her for a while now. "Wow, I can't remember the last time I've gotten a massage."

"Heh, we should change that and make this more frequent," he chuckled.

"You think so?" Levy giggled in response. "Well don't do this thinking I'll give one back, I'm not the best at them... but I can learn. Until then, we should still keep it even." She started, and to Gajeel's complete surprise she pulled away from him, only to turn around to face him fully. His eyes widened when he saw her, and he couldn't help but immediately take in her body, particularly the detail where the only thing that covered her was a frilly, laced thong. He snapped himself out of it and immediately forced himself to stare into her eyes instead, which made Levy giggle sweetly. She crawled forward and perched herself on Gajeel's lap; she dragged her nails up his arms until they came together at his chest, where she traced wide circles. The sensation was both calming and alarming, and he felt himself become hypnotized by her golden stare, captivating him with her hooded gaze. "I want you to be comfortable too, Gajeel."

"Levy," he started shortly with her. "You ain't gotta do this. Not if ya don't want to." He sat up straighter so that their eyes would be the same level, and a light flashed in his eyes. "I ain't tryin' anythin' funny. If ya need me, I'm here."

"I know your intentions, Gajeel. That's why I appreciate your company." She smiled softly. "But I... I don't mind this." She admitted with a shy pout, and her hands lightly roamed across his beautifully tan skin, goosebumps raised to the surface wherever her soft fingers glided. "If you can touch me, I should be able to touch you. We're even," She smiled softly.

"I don't want to be even," Gajeel smirked as he referred to what she had said earlier that night on the patio, right before she kissed him. He grabbed her ass then, squeezing roughly and making her cry out pleasurably. His eyes darkened with worry, "are ya sure ya want this, Levy?" He asked her. "After everythin'?"

"Mmm," she said with a smile. "I want this, Gajeel." She pushes forward and captured his lips with hers. Gajeel leaned backwards until his elbows pressed into the comforter and Levy was completely straddling him. She licked across his bottom lip and silently asked to enter, and with ease she deepened their kiss, tugging on his hair softly as her hands roamed his raven mane. She was starting to get used to kissing him so freely, especially when the broad man didn't deny her affection. She loved how it felt as if they were the only two alive in the world whenever their lips met, and she enjoyed how captivated she was by everything that was him. Gajeel.

"If we're gonna do this Shorty," Gajeel started with a low growl, "we can't just leave you hanging. I didn't finish what I started." His eyes were glowing a deep red now, and the Gajeel she met their first night resurfaced.

"Eh?" Levy asked cluelessly, and she felt her heart beat against her chest when he gave her a mischievous grin.

"We didn't finish ya massage, Shorty. Turn around."

 **[XXX]**

Levy giggled at that and decided to cooperate with him. "Hmm, now this is more like it!" She gratefully turned around and faced her back to him, but was taken by surprise when his arms wrapped around her and pulled her towards him. Now his chest was against her back, and his body heat that once comforted her moments ago had now set her body on high alarm. Feeling him so intimately close to her was driving her insane, and she gasped when she felt his breath on her ear. "I want to help you relax a little more, Levy." He lowered his voice for only for her to hear, and Levy gasped when she felt his hands slide down her arms.

Levy relaxed against his chest and sighed deeply. She closed her eyes momentarily as she felt his hands drag up and down her body, sliding down her torso and growing dangerously close to her legs before roaming back up and cupping around her breasts. She gasped when his arms tightened around her, but she especially moaned when his fingers lightly pinched her nipples and tugged slightly. Levy groaned as she took handfuls of the sheets and tightened her grip around them. She whimpered when Gajeel's tongue reached her shoulder and gave her a quick bite, before he soothed over the mark with a soft lick. He peppered his kisses against her skin and up her jawline.

"Gajeel," she moaned as he grabbed a handful of hair and pulled it out the way to reveal the back of her neck, where his kisses grew wetter as he licked across her shoulder blades and back. In a sadistic sense he enjoyed that she bruised easily, not that he wanted her hurt, but he loved marking her with his love; he smiled softly when a trail of lovemarks were blossoming on her skin. He wanted to leave them everywhere, especially in the places only the two of them will see.

"Mmm, kiss me, Gajeel," Levy demanded as she turned her face towards him, and he gave a quick grin before fulfilling her wants. They kissed passionately then, rougher and hungrier like the scene from the kitchen earlier that evening, and Levy was so captivated by their making out that she practically screamed when his hand reached between her legs.

"Shorty, are ya okay?" Gajeel asked, a tinge of worry breaking through his lustful voice. He pulled away then but her protests reeled him back in.

"Y-yes," Levy nodded quickly. "I'm sorry, it's just... it's been so long since I've..."

"Since you've been touched?" Gajeel asked as his hands met her thighs and parted them for her. Her breath hitched when his fingers lightly grazed her skin as he carefully returned back to where he started. His worry evaporated and he was now smirking mischievously, his eyes narrowed as he connected the dots and realized she was terribly sensitive after being neglected for so long. His index finger made a soft sweep across her pussy, brushing against her lips and wet entrance but purposely avoiding her clit. "Yer tellin' me ya ain't played with yerself since then, Shorty? So ya were waitin' for me," he teased in a joking manner.

"I-I mean I have I, I—," Levy stammered, her voice breaking with every touch he gave her most intimate spot. "Oh Gajeel, you're such a pervert!" She clasped her hands over her blushing face.

"Oi," He said after a good laugh. "You should show me next time how ya please yerself. It ain't nothin' to be ashamed of Levy. I haven't done anything since our last time, neither."

"R-really?" Levy asked and did a poor job at masking how surprised she was.

"Why ya so damn surprised?" He asked with furrowed brows.

"I dunno, I just thought you'd... well... you're so..." she grew shy then and turned away from him.

"Eh? I'm so what, Lev?" His voice grew close to her ear once again and he licked against it.

"Handsome," she admitted, and she couldn't see how taken aback Gajeel was behind her. He heard a few compliments every now and then but thought nothing of them, however hearing it come from Levy suddenly made him very flustered. His silence worried her, and quickly she tried to explain herself. "I don't know, you just seem like you could... get anyone you want, really. So I assumed you would have by now." She shrugged as she felt a bit stupid for her choice of words.

"Heh, I don't care for no one." He asked gruffly, and his hold on her tightened. "I ain't got any interest for anyone else, Lev."

Her eyes widened at that, and without knowing exactly what to say, she just smiled softly. "Me neither, Gajeel."

He smiled softly then, and as their eyes locked it was evident to both of them that something more than just was brewing it the air between them.

"But truthfully I haven't came since our first time, neither." She admitted shamefully.

His eyebrows raised. "Would ya like me to help ya with that?"

"If you'd like," Levy giggled as he continued kissing her neck. "But only if you'd let me help you next."

Gajeel smiled against her skin, "I can't say no to that. It's a fair deal... But let's not rush this first. I wanna take my time with ya..." He began, and his hand went back down to her core, where she was already wet and awaiting him. His finger tips softly brushed against her bud, a part of her that had been neglected for so long. Levy moaned drastically when he dipped his fingers inside of her momentarily only to rub against her clit once more in a soft, slow and steady pace.

"Mmm, Gajeel," she moaned out as she spread her legs further apart for him. "Oh yes, please..." she leaned her head against his shoulder as she began panting.

"Levy... I missed this," he watched the way her back arched and her chest pushed upwards. Her hands left the sheets and now one of them was tangled in his hair and the other clawing into his thigh. His hands were more busy than her's however, and he made sure that the way he played with her nipples was slow while he began to enter her fast. He sped his fingers in and out of her, and the faster he went the more tensed up she was getting, her moaning stopped for a minute as she lied there taking in every sensation, her mouth left open as she silently moaned out. "Did you miss this too, Lev?" He asked her in a sort of challenging way, curious to see if she'd admit her desires for him.

"Oh yes," she breathed out, "I really did, I-I- ahh! Gajeel!" She cried out as he fingered her more, and it didn't take long for her legs to start shaking and for her orgasm to rack through her body. She was coming everywhere, and he continued to finger her as she rode every wave of pleasure. He hissed when she nearly ripped his hair out, but he didn't stop, until she was screaming so hard he was sure the rooms surrounding them would definitely hear them. She sighed out when she finished, and she didn't even complain when she heard his usual _gihee_ when she slumped downward tiredly. "This is a little embarrassing," she whimpered tiredly as she tried not to overthink how quickly she came.

"I like it," he promised. "Hmph... you always cum hard," he said with a satisfied grin. He held up his hand to prove it to her, her orgasm glistened against his fingers and she felt her face grow brightly. "You really made a mess, dirty girl." He started, and his tongue licked up his digits as he cleaned her juices off of his fingers, making sure to keep eye contact with her and trying not to smile when her mouth dropped open in utter shock. She was so terribly turned on, and she felt like she'd faint when his eyes took in her body. "I really missed how ya taste, Levy."

"Y-you did?" She stuttered as she watched him progress towards her once more. Her thighs shook just from watching him dip down between them, and her heart beat raced up as she anticipated what other dirty things he planned on doing to her.

"Ya taste good," His tongue ran against his bottom lip. "I want to taste ya some more."

"Mm-mmm!" Levy rejected as she sat up straight, and her rejection snapped Gajeel out of his desires.

"Eh?" Gajeel was already on his knees and pulling her thighs apart. His face was between her legs now, and he allowed his eyes to feast on everything briefly before returning to her eyes. "But you loved being eaten last time, begged for it and everythin', remember?" He snickered when she blushed and pouted at him, and her eyebrows furrowed when his tongue dragged up from her inner thigh and towards her knee. "Yer telling me ya don't want me to eat ya, Levy?" He asked her enticingly, and his mouth went towards her other thigh where he bit down on soft skin before kissing downward towards her core. Levy's legs began trembling again, but she pulled away once more despite how badly she wanted his lips to continue. Gajeel stopped then and looked up at her, was he pushing her limits? He felt nervous then, but when she smiled softly at him his worried nerves eased down.

"I want you to have feel good too, Gajeel," she started. "So I... I w-want to taste you first." She began and she stared up at him with wide innocent eyes. She felt so dumb with what she was saying, Levy had no idea how to be sexy and never tried anyway, but by the way Gajeel's smoldering state intensified and he clenched his jaw, she knew she had to have been doing something right.

If Gajeel thought he was turned on before, he had no idea he could be pushed to his limits this intensely. Now he was hard and uncomfortably heated by the way Levy was speaking to him. He remained standing still and in shock when she slipped off the bed and walked towards him. She smiled shyly before glancing downward at his crotch; he was only in his boxers, what he was supposed to be sleeping in before their heated moment went into action. She slowly went to her knees and slid the material of his shorts down with her, unleashing his erect member as it sprung towards her. Her eyes widened as she hadn't gotten up close to it last time, and it's been so long since she'd seen it, anyway. He had a masculine, iron-like scent that absolutely drove her wild, and she looked up at him above her, watching with his lips slightly parted and in awe.

Despite being below him, she knew she was in charge and had him exactly where she wanted. She giggled at how flustered he was, and now blushing like mad Gajeel clicked his tongue. "Hmph, what's so funny, Shorty? Ain't gonna finish what ya started?"

"Oh, you'll regret those words Mr. Redfox," Levy grinned from below him, and took Gajeel by surprise when she cupped her fingers around his sack and lightly massaged. She gave a soft kiss on his head before swirling her tongue against it, and although she wasn't the best at this she tried to recall every tip Cana had given her and everything she'd collected from the dirty books she's read. She was worried he wasn't liking it, but then her tongue ran up his shaft, starting from the bottom and gliding all the way up before swirling around the tip. Gajeel hissed at the sensation and groaned out, and his fingers curled around the crown of her head and tugged at her hair. "Ah— _fuck,_ Levy," he groaned out.

She giggled at his response before continuing. Gajeel felt his knees starting to weaken as she continued going down on him, and from the mirror positioned on the other side of the room, he had the perfect view of her from behind, on her knees with her legs slightly open, her blue curls bobbing back and forth against him. From the way she worked on him to how beautiful the view of her body was, there was no way on fucking Earthland he was going to make it. Her eyes screwed tight as she managed to push all the way downward and fully take his length in, he watched in awe when her eyes opened upward at him, giving him that innocent look she always had whenever she was practicing something that was the opposite of innocence. "Nngh, Levy," he started, and he pulled away from her while he could. "Please, I don't want to yet," he explained, and it took Levy a few seconds to get what he was referring to. "I wanna please ya, Shorty."

Levy smiled up at him, and she was honestly grateful he decided to change it up given her jaw was growing sore. "Okay, Gajeel."

"I need ya, Lev," He didn't waste any time, and his voice growled animal-like as he was pushed to his limits. He brought her back into their kiss from earlier, and he backed her up into the bed where she fell onto her back; he immediately climbed over her and positioned between her legs. "Lev, are ya ready?"

"Please Gajeel," she whispered.

With permission granted Gajeel pushed into her, the two of them both gasped out at the contact and intense sensation— her squeezing around him the body-trembling feeling of him completely filling her. It had been so long, so agonizingly long since they've been with one another. Gajeel pushed Levy's thighs towards her chest and entered her deeply, deeper than she believed he went last time. She gasped out, almost inaudible during their love as she was speechless with what she was feeling. However, it didn't take long before she was moaning again, crying out his name and biting down on her lip to keep quiet. "Gajeel," she whimpered, only to scream his name erratically when his hand dipped between them and began rubbing her clit. Her hands yanked on his hair, and Gajeel smirked at how she was handling it. "Maybe I should tie you up again," he suggested, referring to the way she was pulling roughly on his hair.

"I'm s-sorry," she whimpered as he increased the pace that he was going in and out of her. She was taken by surprise when he kissed her deeply, and with a glazed stare he licked his bottom lip, "never be sorry for that, Shorty." He chuckled when her eyes screwed shut, and her hands clawed the bed sheets. "Yer gonna cum again, aren't ya Shorty?"

"Y-yes! I'm-I'm—!" But she couldn't finish her words as she immediately released, and it was even better than the last time. She moaned loudly as he continued, and her eyes widened when he changed her position. "Gajeel... what are you..?" She asked worriedly, and when he sat down against the headboard with her in his arms, similar to the position they were in earlier when he was giving her a massage— only this time she was perched above him. Her eyes widened when she practically sat back down on him, and once again he filled her deeply, this time at an angle she's never experienced before. She cried out then, and had no time to prepare before he returned to fucking her.

"Mmm, this is much better," he growled in her ear as he held her thighs up and pounded in from behind her. Levy had never been in this position before, and she leaned against his chest as he finished; she felt his lips lick against her neck and she felt as if she'd faint. She was screaming again, so loud that Gajeel placed a hand over her cries just for the sake of their neighbors; Levy's mouth took in a couple of his fingers and licked softly before sucking down towards his knuckles. The sensation of her tongue alongside him pounding into her was enough to topple him over, he couldn't last longer even though he so desperately wanted to. Levy was done for, and just as she thought she couldn't go on Gajeel tensed up behind her, digging his face into her neck and groaning as he released. "Levy!" He roared then, and she felt him push further into her, enough for her to cry or beautifully as he finished.

He slipped out of her now, and Levy sighed deeply as she felt herself collapse against his well build frame. Even with their skin slick with sweat Gajeel held her anyway, and her head leaned against his shoulder where she could sleep immediately if he'd let her. "Ya okay, Lev?" He asked her carefully when she didn't make a sound after a few seconds.

"Mmm. I think I'm ready for bed now," she whispered softly, already lulling to sleep as her eyelids grew heavier by the second.

"Ya can say that again," he said with a low chuckle. He picked her off attentively and lied her down on her side. He pulled the blanket over the both of them and wrapped around her with his arms. He watched her for a moment then, the way her chest softly rose and fell over and over, and the way her eyelashes kissed against her rosy cheeks. Her lips were so plump and kissable, but he didn't want to disturb her in her sleep. He smiled softly then, "thanks again for saving me today, Shorty."

Her eyelids fluttered just the slightest, and he knew she'd respond if she weren't so exhausted. Today had been a long tiresome day, hectic and Hell on Earth, but he relished this moment of peace. He pulled her against his chest and fell asleep to her scent before drifting off himself.

 **Levy stirred in her sleep as** the sun poured around her; she was restless, her legs twisting around as something was waking her of her slumber. What had really shaken her up was the way large hands firmly clasped down on her thighs to hold her still, and once her senses registered she breathed in a sharp breath when something warm wrapped around the most sensitive part of her body. Levy's eyes shot open and found Gajeel between her legs, sucking and nibbling softly; his eyes flickered up when he found she was awake, and he snickered when he saw her confused, flustered face. Her body jerked naturally at the sensation and he held her down firmly so she couldn't move, he kept her right where he wanted, and he went back to licking viciously at her clit, knowing damn well if he was going to wake her up to head it was going to be the damn best head she's ever gotten. He wanted her to not know whether or not she was dreaming, and from the way her eyes fluttered and her back arched he knew that he'd gotten exactly what he wanted.

"Ahh— G-Gajeel, wait-!" She cried out as she felt the familiar buzz that she was getting close to another Earth-shattering orgasm. Gajeel grinned at the desperation in her voice and smiled up at her.

"Good mornin', Levy, did ya have a nice sleep?" He asked her, still between her legs and hovering over her core.

Levy gulped, "G-Gajeel what are you—?"

"I said I wanted to taste ya, but ya didn't give me the chance last night," he started as his tongue strode across his bottom lip. "I thought I'd wake ya up given we can't sleep in today, and you've been such a good girl..." Gajeel's voice deepened as he returned to eating her, and Levy's head whipped back when he returned to sucking around her pearl, something he quickly learned drove the little police officer wild.

"Oh, Gajeel," she whimpered as she screwed her eyes shut and slightly squeezed her legs closed. "You really don't have to," She mewed as she contradicted herself only to press against his tongue and maneuver her body so that her hips were grinding against his mouth, anything to help her accomplish what she craved most.

"Spoiled brat," he snickered when he watched in awe the way her lips grinded against him, and he allowed her this time to move freely, and held his tongue out for her to glide against. Her moans intensified then, but her cries of agony whipped into a scream when he curled a finger into her, slowly and one by one as his tongue darted against her fast.

"Gajeel, oh God, I'm cumming," she breathed out, her eyes fluttering shut as she enjoyed the pleasure wrapping over her in an embrace. It's as if her whole body had been shocked suddenly, and she was floating momentarily, all the while Gajeel continued eating her, lapping up everything she had to give him and working his hardest to make her orgasm last longer. His favorite part happened then, the part where Levy fell from her high and her shoulders slumped as all the energy left her body. She was a sleepy girl every time she was pleased, and Gajeel smiled softly at the little bluenette who was being lulled back to sleep, a clear indicator that he had done a good job.

"What a breakfast," Gajeel smiled teasingly at Levy, who stretched and surprised Gajeel when she got onto her knees. She grabbed his hand suddenly and he stared at her with furrowed brows. "Whatcha doin?" He asked her.

"Mmm, but I'm hungry too, Gajeel." Levy started, before running her tongue up Gajeel's index finger and then full out sucking his digit. He felt the way her tongue gliding against the pad of his fingertips, and memories of last night and her sucking him off kicked started something animalistic in him. Levy squealed when she was thrown over, and her hips were pulled towards him until her face was completely against the cover and her ass near his crotch. "G-Gajeel!" She screamed out in delight, and she giggled when she heard him shrugging out of his boxers.

"I'm gonna fuck the shit out of ya for that, Shorty," and her eyes widened when he placed her in a familiar position, the one he knew drove her crazy. "Consider this... yer under arrest," He ordered, and she screamed out in protest, but her giggling broke through the cries of plea. Gajeel was itching to get into her, give her an even harder time than he did last night, he was going to show her. "I'm gonna make ya pay for that, Levy."

"Pay for what, hmm?" She asked behind her shoulder, eyes shining and cheeks flushed red. She circled her hips then, angling around so Gajeel could have a good view of what was already in front of him.

"For being so sexy," Gajeel growled, his hand wrapped around her neck as he pulled her towards his chest, her ass was completely against him now, and she gasped when she felt his erection press against her. "Levy if ya thought last night was overwhelmin, just wait until you see what I do to ya..." he grounded out, his eyes narrowing as he grew dark and lustful. She was growing considerably wet just by the way he was talking to her. "I'm gonna fuck ya so hard, ya little—,"

 **[XXX]**

An ring came from beside them and made both of them jump in shock. Gajeel's cellphone buzzed against the bedside table, and with a numberless and nameless contact listed as unknown calling for him, Levy assumed it was Makarov.

"Shit, if it's at this time a' day it must be important," Gajeel started. His nails slightly dug into Levy's hips as he tightened his hold on her. "Damn, yer fuckin' lucky, Lev, ya were about to get it good."

"Hmph, saved by the bell?" Levy played along despite being terribly disappointed in the interruption of what could have been part two and a continuation of their wild night spent together. "Yer ass ain't gettin' saved by this. Yer gonna get it."

"Oh no, I'm shaking!" Levy challenged as Gajeel turned his back to her, but she remained quiet as he answered the phone. She rolled to her side and leaned her head into the palm of her hand as she traced her fingers against the comforter. She wanted to mind her own business, but she couldn't help but pick up how Gajeel's voice shifted in tone and he grew gravely serious.

"I understand," Gajeel responded, and the muscles in his back tightened as he hunched his shoulders. "Of course, Master." He stated before setting down the phone. He didn't set the phone down for a moment, he held it in his hand as the screen went blank along with his mind, and he's eyes wandered somewhere Levy couldn't determine given his back was to her. He stayed in a trance almost, and it couldn't have been good news and she wondered if he was willing to tell her. They almost died last night, and if they thought killing and arresting those guys would end the mess they were in then they were kidding themselves. Levy rolled onto her back and threw one leg over the other, she was fine with this surprisingly, and she had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach but otherwise her heart wasn't pounding a mile a minute like she thought it would.

"You're gonna go away again, aren't you?" Levy asked calmly, and she kept her eyes traced on the detailing of the suite's ceilings, watching as the carvings wrapped around the design etched into the paint. Her view was cut off when Gajeel's face hovered above her own, and she found a suppressed look on his face, the same rock hard expression covering up the worry that was becoming more and more obvious the more she got to know him. The apprehension screamed in his eyes and turned them blood red, and his piercings below his lip twitched whenever his mouth tightened into a sullen scowl.

"I'm afraid so, Levy." He answered truthfully, and she knew that wasn't what he wanted to tell her, but it was the truth none the less and she respected him telling her. He looked tired then, and perhaps he wouldn't admit it now but she knew he didn't want to leave either. His face fell into her hands when her palms cupped his cheeks; he swallowed then and looked down, avoiding her disappointed, concerned gaze.

"But you'll be safe, won't you?" She asked him, hope ringing like a desperate cry for help in her trembling voice.

"I'll be as safe as I can be, Shorty." Gajeel said with a lopsided grin, though he was in no mood for smiling. Her lip quivered then but she didn't shed tears, she didn't need to; he couldn't see in the way her eyes narrowed and her eyebrows furrowed that she was hurting. Worry was making her ill and being left behind against was the most pain she's felt in months, he knew that. She didn't have to verbally explain everything that was written on her face and more. "Oi," he started, and he bumped his forehead into her's. "I'm gonna be safe for ya, okay? And ya do the same for me... neither of us are gettin' hurt. Got it?"

"Promise?" Levy asked as she closed her eyes, relishing his body warmth one last time.

"Promise," he whispered to her.

They got ready silently then. Levy pulled on her pencil skirt that desperately needed to be thrown into the wash, along with her loose blouse that was at least fitting for this afternoon's weather and not last night's. She was lacing up her boots when she heard the familiar click of a gun, and she glanced behind her shoulder to see Gajeel laying out all of his weapons across the table top. An array of handguns and pistols that she had no idea he was carrying. She swallowed a lump in her throat when she couldn't believe how expertly he hid them away, there had to be at least five different types of weapons he was loading and checking. She felt a shudder go through her then, and it wasn't because she didn't trust Gajeel around weaponry, but more because she didn't like the fact that he _needed_ to be that heavily armed everyday. He put his life in danger, and being undercover for Makarov and spying on one of the most sinister men in the world was out of this world. Gajeel began wrapping up his station and Levy finished up herself, the two of them left a tip on the bedside table before leaving.

"I ain't much for talkin', but ya can talk about it if ya want," Gajeel started in the elevator. He watched as Levy leaned against the glass walls and allowed her gaze to reach far out into the city, past the sky scrapers around them. Her neck craned up and still she couldn't see the top of the towers, only rows of windows that never seemed to end. It was obvious when something bothered the bluenette, she'd be talking his ears off right about now, but he liked it. He enjoyed her company and he was interested in what she had to say, so now that she simmered in silence it definitely spoke volumes for her.

"I'm... worried about you..." Levy admitted shyly without looking at him. Her hands rigged nervously at the hem of her skirt. "You... you're not obligated to the job that you're doing, right?"

"I'm a lil' too deep in now," he responded sadly. "'Sides, I ain't backin' out now just cause times are gettin' tough. Someone needs to do something about this. About Ivan. It can't keep goin' on forever."

"Gajeel..." Levy whispered as she watched the way his face twisted into a disgusted scowl.

"Magnolia... it's always been a damn rotten, corrupt fuckin' city. I can't stand it... it ain't gotta be this way." He began. "And if I could do something, anything—," he stopped shortly when something warm enveloped his hand. He looked down to find her dainty fingers wrapping around his knuckles. They were so soft and warm in comparison to his cold, callused palm. Her fingertips intertwined with his and she pulled him closer; he stepped towards her and just as the elevator was reaching the lobby she pulled him towards her into a farewell kiss.

"You're a hero, Gajeel." She smiled softly at him, her eyes sparkling with a light he didn't feel as if he deserved. "You can stop treating yourself like the villain now."

His eyes deepened at that, and his lips still burning with her recent kiss tightened into a firm line when he didn't know what to say. She didn't understand. She didn't know what he was capable of, what's he's done to people in the past. She'd swallow her words and regret if she knew the true him, who he really was.

"Farewell, Mr. Redfox," Levy smiled as she held her hand up behind her shoulder. Her frame disappeared behind the closing elevator doors, leaving him behind to reach his destination in the parking garage by himself. As the elevator went down he relished the way he could still feel her body heat against him, one last embrace, his clothes held her warm, floral scent. And somewhere in this world she'd be waiting for him, as he would be waiting for her, and he hoped then that maybe he'd be a changed man, perhaps he could even tell her the truth. He would tell her the truth. And with that being said, he prepared to lose her.

 **Up next:** Makarov assigns Gajeel in training Levy to improve her self defense— but can the two of them focus on their task after such an intimate night? As amazing Gajeel is as an instructor, will these newly learned skills assist Levy in saving Gajeel's life after a confrontation from Ivan becomes life threatening?


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

 **Gajeel slithered into the gymnasium silently.** He was grateful that today and this hour in particular was notorious for being rather slow; he didn't have the energy to forcibly interact with anyone out of his new profound kindness he was practicing. His manners were decent enough, it was the small talk that was gnawing his insides and seeming to be almost impossible. Small talk was okay, but pretending to be interested or holding back his rather blunt and occasionally rude remarks was what the man found most challenging. His sneaking around, however, did not go under the radar of the usually alert and aware Panther Lily, who sensed a presence behind him and turned around to find Gajeel with his head hanging low and he dragged himself to the cubbies and lockers pressed against the cinderblock walls. Energetic as ever, Lily noted, and smiled wide as he hoped to chipper his lonesome friend up this morning.

"Well if it isn't the little lovebird!" Lily exclaimed when he caught an antisocial Gajeel walking into their usual morning workout. "Late as ever, you were supposed to be here hours ago. Although I'm not upset, I did get the memo that you almost died again, yesterday. You think I'd be more concerned about it, but at this rate I'm surprise to even hear from ya nowadays." Lily stretched his arms over his head, flexing the well defined muscle built into his biceps. "Long night with Levy again, hmm?"

"Yeah," Gajeel replies, eyes focused elsewhere. "Really long night, and so far it's startin' too be an even longer day."

"Hmph," Lily responded, not wanting his friend to go deeper into detail. He was hoping to get the man flustered with his usual vivid blush and out of character stuttering act that he always fumbled into when it came to the adorable little Levy. He was a little amused that Gajeel agreed to his pestering so openly and honestly, and a smile met his lips when he caught Gajeel in a daze, his eyes hooded and floating elsewhere, landing on nothing in particular and staring off into space. He looked the calmest he had in days, and although he somehow managed not to blush, red still streaked over his neck and ears as his mind did cartwheels about something Lily knew he'd never open up about. Young love was a beautiful thing, and despite only ever seeing the harsh, rigid side of Gajeel that was necessary for their type of job, he knew the man would take good care of any woman he fell in love with. Levy was an excellent match, a witty and clever woman that could handle the man's palpable attitude. Gajeel immediately stepped out from under the spotlight and turned it towards Lily instead.

"Noticed the flowers in the office. Shagotte?" Gajeel asked, wrapping his knuckles up and hoping to make small talk with his friend that took attention off of his love interest. Lily's relationship was well aged and mature, and after years of marriage, poking jokes and trying to fluster the man did have the same effect as it would have on Gajeel.

"She's feeling better today. She has another CT scan this afternoon, being in closed up spaces always makes her uncomfortable, so you can imagine how she's feeling. I was hoping the flowers could get her mind off of it momentarily." Lily spoke as he didn't look Gajeel in the eye. He was busy cleaning off the equipment he used and was now taking off heavy duty plates for Gajeel's warmup. There was apprehension deep in Lily's voice, but you had to know him very well in order to catch it.

"Tulips?" Gajeel asked.

"Lilies," Lily corrected.

"Same thing," Gajeel grunted. "Lilies from Lily, huh? How lame."

"They're her favorite. There's a background story to it but... ah that's for another day. Let's get to work." Lily gave him a good grin, "you better learn your flowers better, given you're eventually gonna have to get Levy some," he sang out her name with a higher voice, and just the mentioning of her made Gajeel burn bright red. "I could give you a few tips on being a gentleman while I'm at it, too."

"Ya wish, old man!" Gajeel barked from over his shoulder, clearly flustered by Lily. "I'm more of a gentleman than ya are any day, don't forget that."

"Right, right— how on Earthland did I forget that?Now are ya gonna stop blushing and fight like a man, or should I give you a few minutes to get your panties out of a twist?" Lily asked given today they were gonna to train with serious fighting. Lily raised his hands into fists, his knuckles cracking with anticipation, but the popping noises only made Gajeel smirk. For anyone other than Gajeel this would have been a terrifying fight; Lily was a large man with broad shoulders, ripped muscle and a serious demeanor that contradicted his usually calm and collected behavior. When engaged in fighting, a different aura came out, the scar crossing his eye looked more sinister as it crinkled with his glare, and something about his days as a big-league body guard for the president herself gave him this work ethic of never giving up, never losing, being the last one standing by all means. Gajeel loved a good challenge, and so he allowed the tantalizing Levy comments to slide.

"Mm," Gajeel agreed with a grunt and slammed his gym bag aside.

The workout was dreadful given Gajeel felt as if everything in him was already broken. The dead bastard from yesterday rough housed him pretty good, and he couldn't remember the last time and opponent had swung him around so easily. He was glad he took the man on rather than Levy, though she did unfortunately have to deal with him for a moment and ended up getting hurt. Gajeel would never forgive himself for allowing that to happen, and with every sharp pain that sparked in him he used all his strength to push forward in his training. He was just grateful that he was the one that got slammed around, that amount of force on Levy's body could have easily been lethal. She was strong, courageous even, but she was still a frail girl; she didn't need a three-hundred pound man slamming her to the ground with all of his might and strangling her. Gajeel would have killed the bastard himself if he'd had the chance, but Levy beat him to it. At first glance you wouldn't think a girl like her had it in her, but she continued to surprise him everyday.

Gajeel ripped his tank top off, which stuck to him like a second skin. The sweat soaked into the fabric and with that he threw it into a nearby sink. Next was his pants, and deep down in the pocket was a piece of paper he'd forgotten he shoved into there. It was from last night, with girly penmanship scribbled over the lines with blue ink. His heart beat slowed down then as something calming relaxed his alert mind and sore, aching muscles. The note was from last night, when Levy had retrieved the receipt from the coffee Gajeel bought her. She scribbled something down quickly, using the palm of her hand to bare down on. "I-I know you didn't ask for it," Levy started shyly, and it took everything in her body to maintain eye contact. "But... if you're ever in trouble, I'd like you to have this—," Levy felt silly when Gajeel was shocked and lost for words, and therefore clarified her reasoning, "—For emergencies, of course, and you don't have to." She held up her phone number then. A cute smile matched her blushing cheeks as she handed it to him, "I know you can't call me. I get it, but just in case, ya'know?"

"I know," Gajeel replied as he accepted the paper from her, their fingertips brushed together and the two of them accepted the contact. "Thank you, Lev." He smiled softly, and he stuffed it away for later, and he loved it when her face brightened significantly with a beautiful smile.

He wanted to give her a call more than anything, but with the strong possibility that the mafia was tracking his phone calls wasn't too far fetched. Makarov was doing his best to make sure Levy and Gajeel remained a secret, and the last thing the two of them needed to do was make the Master's already crippling job more of a hassle. He caught himself inhaling the receipt, which still had her scent from when it remained in her purse. He knew he was going insane then, but the perfume that lingered against the paper almost gave him a nostalgic kind of feeling, something fluttering in his stomach. He felt stupid then, and with a shake of his head he chuckled softly. "Shorty, what are ya doin' to me?" He asked embarrassedly.

"I really hate to interrupt the conversation you're having yourself, given clearly you're having a... moment," Lily stated for lack of better words, and he smiled with satisfaction as Gajeel jumped in a scurry to hide the note he was bashing over. He quickly shoved the scrap of paper into his pocket as he turned around with a clenched jaw and popped out vein in his forehead and sent Lily a glare that could melt steel.

"Damn bastard, I told ya to quit creepin' up on me!" Gajeel warned with more anger in his voice than usual, and Lily immediately understood it as the strong, scary many being flustered by his adorable little crush he had on a certain officer.

"Whoops I must have forgotten," Lily chuckled. And waved Gajeel's threats aside. "Anyway, there's a visitor out in the gymnasium for you, per Makarov's request." Lily sent a look behind his shoulder to Gajeel that could have meant anything, and once the man was calm and collected and wore off his flustered blush he sighed and followed Lily down the hall. He wasn't sure who it would be that Gajeel would talk with, it wasn't often that Makarov sent people for him, which was the exact opposite of Ivan's way of business. Perhaps it was another member of Makarov's elite, perhaps Scarlett or Fullbuster again, and occasionally Juvia though it's been a while since they've worked together. However it wasn't any of the strongest members of Makarov's force, in fact it was someone he should have expected though it took him by surprise more than anything. There she was with her baggy sweatpants, skin tight tank top and orange gym bag slung over her chest. Her hair had caught his attention most, the vibrant strands of hair that she normally wore down was now in a cute ponytail sprouting from the high top of her head, with of course her usual wavy shoulder length pieces framing her soft face. It exposed her neck, and barely Gajeel found hints of hickeys he'd accidentally left on her neck the night before; she did a pore job of hiding them. Besides that, she looked great even in workout wear, and the already heart-fluttered man was even more flustered as he saw the reason to his heart's ache right in front of him.

"L-Levy," Gajeel stumbled over his words, and now the receipt in his pocket felt metaphorically heavier as he hadn't called her, he didn't have the guts to. Still, he promised he would that evening, even if it was as much as an apology or to take her out later on that week. He was going to contact her, he was, he was just worried, and now he was even more concerned that it gave his name a bad taste in her mouth considering she didn't look at him at first.

"I'm sure you two have met before," Lily started, getting a kick at how obviously warm his usually cold friend was. "Orders from Makarov were to train with Levy, don't think the old man's forgotten about that."

"He wasn't taking no for an answer," Levy added to the conversation. "He said I couldn't be in better hands than the two of you," Levy smiled, but her lips faltered when she turned to Gajeel. She didn't look necessarily upset with him, but there was something between the two of them that Gajeel couldn't place his finger on. "I'm a bit nervous but I'll train hard, I promise." Levy shyly rubbed the back of her neck and chuckled to herself. "Just don't break anything, okay? I'm already having to deal with stress of my house being destroyed."

"We'd never do something like that, right Gajeel?" Lily glared at his friend although he knew the man would never dare lay a finger on Levy in any negative, harmful way.

"I ain't gonna hurt ya," Gajeel started, "I want to help." He confessed, and now Levy was really paying attention to him. She saw something genuine shining in those gorgeous red eyes, and now there was a pep to her step and a beautiful smile on her face.

"Hmph, I can't say no to that," Levy chirped as she set her bag aside and walked back towards them. On her way to the middle of the room Gajeel took in the little details of her attire, like the gray high top sneakers she sported and the way the pant legs of her sweat pants rolled just above them. It was so out of her usual girly fashion and he couldn't have liked it more, and what was even better was the way she had her hair up, where her skin was exposed apart from the short strands that curled at the base of her neck and showed off the gentle chain of her golden necklace. Her lean muscle was complimented with the skin tight tank top, and he could see the fine slip of her belly button and pelvis peeking through, the cherished and praised body of an athletic model. "I appreciate the Master's concerns, but I'm actually very good at defending myself." Levy stated with a nose in the air. She placed her hands on her hips and smiled widely at Gajeel. "I wasn't one of the best in my class for nothin'. Not to toot my own horn, but I was actually selected for S-class during my final year."

"Nice," Gajeel replied with an impressed look, and definitely wanted to hear more about her S-Class experience. However, that would be a story he'd bring up later. "How about you stop the big talk and show me what S-class has to offer."

"I think I already did that one time in the alley," Levy started with one of her eyes winking and her tongue sticking out. Gajeel's stomach flipped when he realized she was flirting with him. He smirked then, remembering back on how she'd gotten him off guard and landed an embarrassing kick to his face. "I mean, I'm not the strongest the station has to offer, but I'm sure I'm not the weakest, neither."

"Strength ain't everything, Lev." Gajeel made a stance then, stepping back and angling his chest forward. "I've taken down plenty of opponents who were stronger than Lily and I combined." He towered over her then, and not meaning to look down on her in any sense, but with his frame consuming hers Levy was left in his shadow. She gulped slightly when she realized how seriously Gajeel was taking this, and his playful side that was finally peeking out from underneath his closed shell had disappeared completely now that he was ready to train. Levy knew this was a stern session, she wanted to and would get better at fighting, but now everything about her was on edge, especially when his voice grew cold and practically growled at her. She loved the rough, strong, cold type of man, and Gajeel fit that description perfectly; it's been too soon since their last fiasco, and now just hearing, seeing and even smelling the man made her chest blush red. She was so ashamed of herself, he didn't seem flustered or bothered at all. Gajeel continued, "It's a ton of skills... speed, endurance," he counted off, and his position made her nervous as she braced herself for his attack. "Besides, not to toot my own horn as well... I didn't try to hurt ya in the alleyway, Lev. I didn't even attempt to lay a finger on you at all."

When Gajeel sent her a smirk, Levy's flirtatious attitude evaporated into thin air and her eyes narrowed angrily. She went into her own stance, arms protecting her face. She watched carefully as Gajeel stared her down, and all the familiarity and humor from his face melted into cold, emotionless steel. He was so quiet, so concentrated, and not a sound filled the gym apart from the air vents cranking out the A.C and the sound of her heartbeat pounding in her temples. He watched her like a predator stalking his prey until suddenly— he attacked!

Levy didn't jump away like her instincts commanded her to, instead she leaped right at him, running right into his attack and blocking whatever advance he made. She caught his fist that aimed for her jaw, just in time to duck before his other hand could knock her out— no wait, that was just a distraction, he had jumped back just in time to miss the kick she swung out and— no, that wasn't his intention at all! Levy couldn't keep up with his movements, and never had she seen someone move so swift and quickly. He wasn't lying when he said he wasn't trying in the alleyway, and even then he was an extremely difficult opponent, maybe even the hardest she's ever fought. Sweat was bearing against her hairline as she was doing more dodging than hitting, and her heart stammered when he smirked at her when he saw how stressed out she was getting. She was giving her all, and now she felt embarrassed almost, but she couldn't let her pride and emotions render her during their fight.

She couldn't lose, she lived out this experience as if it were really happening, as if Gajeel were in fact trying to kill her, that he wasn't working with Makarov and that the glow in his eyes was from blood thirst and not adrenaline. Levy picked up her speed, forcing her body to go faster than she's ever made it before, and if it wasn't hard to keep up before, Gajeel had become even faster. He had gotten so fast that he—

Levy gasped when she was pushed right into the wall behind her, the back of her head slammed against the unforgiving cinderblocks. Everything moved in slow motion then, she heard the way his knife unsheathed from its protective cover hanging from his pants, and with the simple gleam of the light catching the blade she almost saw her life flash before her eyes. Her eyes widened as she immediately lifted her chin and tried to pull her face away, and now pinned against the wall and almost shaking in her boots Levy had been defeated. He pressed the blade against her skin carefully, not to tantalize her but to make a point, and nothing was more effective her than feeling the cold metal against her flushed skin. This was serious, and in any other situation that blade wouldn't have been so gentle.

"Yer dead," Gajeel declared in a low tone, his mouth only inches away from ear. She felt the sweat building around her hairline trickle down her cheek now. She didn't even last a couple of minutes with Gajeel, and if she were really his enemy maybe she wouldn't have even lasted seconds. She slid down then, her back slid against the wall until she landed on her bum, and she placed a hand over her throat from where the blade pressed against her skin. She couldn't help but feel something simmer in her chest; a mixture of fear and anger, she was disappointed in herself. Perhaps the last few calls she'd gotten on front line had made her head swell up, after arresting a handful of Magnolia's worst criminals she had felt unstoppable. It was a great feeling that had deflated the moment Gajeel's knife brought her back into the reality that she wasn't going to always have a professional team backing her up. She knew she wasn't the best, she wasn't like Laxus or Natsu, but she still had thought she'd at least last longer against Gajeel than he proved she would.

"Oi," Gajeel's voice caught her attention and she lifted her discouraged pout up to see a hand in front of her. "Ya ain't got to be so hard on yerself, Lev. Yer doing the best ya can." He reassured, and even with his usual rigid and gruff voice Levy sensed a soft tone to his words from where he genuinely meant everything he said. She smiled softly as she accepted his help, and she felt weightless when he lifted her up effortlessly. "And yer definitely not gonna get stronger sulking like this. I'm gonna help ya."

"Mmm, you're right. I guess I was shaken up is all," Levy started as she rubbed the back of her head that was now beginning to throb. She winced but it wasn't anything that would throw her to the bench for a few rounds. Gajeel's eyes widened and he quickly closed the space between them.

"Fuck, I didn't hurt ya, did I?" Gajeel asked worriedly as he advanced towards her. Levy babbled and shook her head no frantically as she tried to wave it off, but it didn't stop the man from working his fingers through her blue locks and rubbing against the tender spot on her scalp. "Seems like a bump is startin'. Fuck, I'm really sorry, Levy." He started with furrowed brows, but Levy shook her head in disagreement.

"I told you I didn't want you going easy on me," Levy reminded him as she tried not to get too relaxed from his touch. She didn't need to grow tired now of all times, but she didn't tell him to stop playing with her hair, neither. "Makarov is right, if I'm associated with you I'm going to need to be better at defending myself. If you hadn't been at the apartment, I might be dead right now."

His fingers paused in her hair before he released the strands in his hand. His hand roamed over the back of her neck and down her spine until it reached the small of her back; Gajeel pulled Levy closer to him as his eyes softened at her. "I could say the same thing about ya, Lev. I hate to admit it, but that bastard was pretty tough. If ya hadn't of showed up, I might not be here, neither."

"I just did what I had to," Levy mumbled as she looked away shyly, not sure of what to say about that, and definitely unsure of how to handle the rather intimate position they were in.

"Take the compliment, Shorty," Gajeel said with a relaxed smirk.

"Hmm, so when did you start handing out compliments so openly?" Levy's eyes flicked up at him and she happened meant for it to come out so flirtatious, it just naturally happened. His stomach flipped and he gritted his teeth when she giggled. "Watch out, Gajeel, I think I'm softening you up."

He blushed then, not sure of what to say. She was damn right, he was becoming a damn pile of mush every time he saw her. He was comfortable around her, and taking off his intimidating demeanor was beyond relieving, to be himself with someone was something he never knew he needed. "I'm gonna get you real good for that one, ain't no one calls me a softy and doesn't pay for it."

"Softy, softy, softy," Levy taunted as she backed away and returned to her stance, she quickly wiped off her playful grin and replaced it with something more serious. She replayed the last fight in her head, trying to pinpoint everywhere she went wrong and exactly how she messed up; speed was definitely something she was lacking, strength too of course, but Gajeel assured that it was easily something to work around. At the end of the day it did come down to skill; Levy didn't prefer fighting, she kind of disliked it even, but Gajeel was a good teacher and she was grateful. She felt silly now that she had let so many things distract her; the moment she saw him in the gymnasium she was taken aback by him being shirtless, and when she allowed herself to look further she could spot the claw marks on his back. He was probably unaware of the red marks going down his shoulder blades, if he'd known he'd probably be covered up right now. That was enough to make her blush, but on a serious note she wasn't going to allow anything else to mess her up.

"Aww, how cute," Gajeel backed away a step and smiled down on her. Her face remained serious apart from the obvious blush streaking her face, "yer so cute when yer tryin' to fight me. Like ya stand a chance, Shorty."

Her fists tightened as she gritted her teeth. She knew he was trying to antagonize her and get her fired up, and it was working just the way he wanted.

"Your hairline, Gajeel," Levy remarked with lack of a better comeback and flashed him her own version of his iconic smirk. She squealed out when she was backed against the wall, a clearly more angry Gajeel pressing against her. She couldn't help but begin to giggle, she knew she shouldn't have made fun of that, but she couldn't help it.

"The Hell ya just say about me?" He asked with darkened eyes, and Levy found her heart beating tremendously. This was clearly an opportunity for her to defend herself, it's probably what Gajeel intended, but she was stuck with her back against the wall, lips parted slightly and wide eyed. Gajeel had suppressed his need for her better than she had, but damn if she didn't look good. Her hair was pulled back in a different kind of hair band today, it matched her joggers that complimented her shape, and the top she chose didn't help out, neither, especially given she didn't wear anything underneath it. Something about seeing Levy sweaty and out of breath reminded him of their couple of nights together, the way she'd look right before she'd collapse on top of him. There were too many filthy things circulating his mind right now, he knew he had to focus and try his best to train her, but now he was growing creative and exhausted, and there were plenty of places he wanted to put her right now. More preferably over the desk in the back corner, or on top of the filing cabinets, where he could be eye level between her thighs, hold them apart and relish in the way her screams echoed through the large gymnasium.

For fucks sake, what the Hell was he even thinking about? He was going to go extra hard on her and rid himself of the thoughts polluting his mind. Her life was on the line and that meant for than anything to him, he was scared for her, but Gajeel was taken aback suddenly. He almost jumped when she leaned in to kiss him, he lowered his face more so she could have better access. When she pulled away the both of them were flustered, and she was the first one to speak up. "Sorry, I know we're supposed to be taking this seriously but... you look good when you're training. Really good," Levy admitted as she bit down on her bottom lip. Gajeel couldn't believe how flustered she was, she was as distracted as him. He wanted more than anything to push this whole training session aside and take care of her.

"Oi, Levy," Gajeel started, and before she knew it she was lifted in his arms and pressed against the wall. He supported her thighs while she wrapped her calves around his torso; she couldn't hold back a moan when his hands slid further up and squeezed her ass. The two of them weren't going to get anything done at this rate, and he justified his horrid thoughts with the idea that if they fixed all their distractions now, it would clear their minds and better their fighting later. "How about we take a break real quick... let me teach ya some other things instead..."

Levy licked her lips at that, "mmm, like what, Gajeel?" She asked innocently.

"Heh, not too sure. All I know is by the end of it we'll both have learned which position drives ya the craziest." He pressed against her and Levy felt his need, hard and throbbing. "I ain't sure if I wanna reward ya for a job well done or punish ya for gettin' smart with me. That dirty little mouth of yers has gotten ya in trouble, Levy."

"You wouldn't dare," Levy's eyes narrowed as she challenged him. "If anything, I'm going to punish you, Gajeel," and her eyes narrowed with a sultry stare.

"Gihee, so yer gonna teach me a lesson, eh?" He asked, and his lips clashed against hers before she could respond. Levy pulled away and took control, and to Gajeel's surprise she began kissing his skin, working up his neck and biting as she went. He shuddered then, feeling her tongue flick against him made his body clench up as he wanted more than anything to really take his time with her. Her teeth sunk into the skin just below his ear, and he groaned as she left a mark, a small reminder to a heated memory. "Levy..." he strained out, glaring at her.

"You owe me, Gajeel. As pay back for last time, I'm going to completely cover you in marks," she promised, turning his chin with her hand and exposing the other side of his neck, soft tan skin untouched. She began her work once more, licking up and trailing kisses against his chiseled jaw, she loved seeing how worked up he was getting, how much he seemed to be enjoying it, and his low groans only encouraged her more. She was absolutely turned on by seeing him in such a small moment of bliss, and she gasped when he returned to her neck, pushing past her kisses to return the favor. "Mmm, Gajeel," Levy moaned as she felt him leave another mark that she'd have to worry about covering up later. "Gajeel, please, let's go somewhere." She suggested, not knowing how long she could handle being teased like this.

Gajeel pulled away from her, "that's a good idea, Shorty, ya really did it this time. I'm gonna make sure I make ya fuckin'—,"

"Ahem," someone coughed from beside them. A few yard away was Lily with a towel around his neck, and a faint blush to his cheeks. "What do you guys think you're doing? Gajeel," Lily's voice grew extra stern towards him, "I thought you said you were going to take this seriously!" He sighed as the two of them collapsed from their position; Levy jumped out of Gajeel's arms and Gajeel straightened up his back and coughing he tension out of his throat. The two sweaty, blushing and flustered young adults looked as if they were only moments away from something inappropriate, and Lily facepalmed just thinking about it. He was glad he hadn't heard what the two were purring about, but seeing that stupid grin on Gajeel's face and Levy's biting lip, it couldn't have been anything related to their training. "I knew this was going to get bad, Makarov ordered me to make sure you guys stayed on track. This is important, Gajeel, stop distracting her!"

"Tch. I ain't takin' no lectures from ya. Besides, Shorty over here started it!" Gajeel crossed his arms and looked more distraught than before.

"You literally pinned me against the wall, how did I start anything?!" Levy cried out from behind him, in which he immediately turned around with a smart reply.

"To give ya a chance to defend yerself, we were in the middle of training! And then ya had to go around saying all that shit!" Gajeel's face was on fire now, and little did he realize he was only making things worse on himself.

"Th-that's not what happened!" Defended herself, talking more to Gajeel than she was Lily.

Now the two of them were bickering, and to Lily's disbelief it seemed to be only making them more turned on seeing one another angry. The two of them were a hopeless case, and he pushed between the both of them unless he wanted to be here all year. They immediately silenced up was the large man was pressing between their argument.

"I hate to intervene like this but it's for the greater good. Levy, let me see what you got," Lily offered, and he gave her a reassuring smile. "Gajeel... you go to the corner and think about what you've done."

"Thank you, someone who will finally take my training serious!" Levy announced loudly.

"You're so fuckin' full of it," Gajeel grounded out, and he stuffed his hands into his pant's pockets as he clicked his tongue with a Tch. He sidestepped out of the way to reveal Lily who was now sporting a smile with his determined stare.

"It's an honor to participate in your training, Levy." Lily began with a respectable bow.

"Ahh, now this is more like it," Levy chirped as she jumped a few feet back as she got into a ready position. "A worthy and professional opponent!"

Gajeel scowled at that, "yer just mad that ya lost the most badass partner ever, which is me." He glared one final time before turning his face away from the fight. Lily sighed and suppressed the urge to face palm at how childish Gajeel was when it came to girls.

"Are you ready?" Lily asked Levy, and his eyes glistened with an anticipating glimmer.

"Give me all you got, Lily, I don't want you going easy on me." Levy started, and she balled her hands into fists. "Those mafia members won't for a second hold back on me... if what Gajeel said was true, if the ring leader of it all wants my head..." she stared down now at her hands, and as her stare intensified her fingers curled tighter until her fists were shaking. "...Then I have to give it my all. I have to make sure I'm capable of stopping whoever gets in my way. We're gonna put an end to this— to all of this. We're going to get Magnolia back, the Magnolia I grew up in." Her gritted teeth and serious eyes made Gajeel's face turn towards the petite girl and the large man. The dedication Levy served towards righting the wrongs of Magnolia was powerful just as much as it was enviable, and although she couldn't pack the toughest punch, she wasn't going to give up until those blows took her opponents down. It couldn't be good for the girl's health, and Gajeel learned quickly that although she didn't exactly prefer fighting she gave it her all when she had no choice. It wasn't a case like Erza or Natsu who stepped first in line for the sake of kicking ass and then shining in the glory of it, Levy stepped forward because she had to, not that she wanted to. She was gentle, but there was something deep down inside of her that was smoldering, power and strength that she hadn't unleashed yet. What was holding her back?

Levy cried out as she was thrown backwards; quickly she landed on the palm of her hand and pushed her weight off the ground before she could crash. She did an impressive backflip that made her land back onto her feet, and very muscle clenched in Gajeel's body when he saw her almost get hurt. He crossed his arms over his chest to stop himself from any nervous ticks that might give off how he was feeling about the situation. Lily was in full training mode; he'd never intentionally hurt Levy, he knew when to stop and this wasn't his first rodeo in teaching a student self defense. It also helped that Levy wasn't a beginner with this course, and the short few years in the academy had given her enough training and knowledge to carry her own, to get out of a fist fight or gun point. She may even be able to get out of a fight with two people attacking her, but what about four? Lily knew the mafia played dirty, they wouldn't just send one person even if they that one person could easily take the girl out. By this point they knew better than to underestimate her, and that placed Levy in an incredulously dangerous predicament.

"It hurts me to do this but I won't hold back on you," Lily clarified as he raised his fist and cracked his knuckles. "If you need to take a break I understand and respect that, just give the call."

"There's no breaks during a real fight, Lily." Levy dragged her arm across her forehead to wipe away the sweat collecting at her hairline. "We're going to have to continue on, even if it kills me."

"I'm not too sure if I can agree to that," Lily admitted with a small smile, "but as you wish." His shoulders broadened then, and thus he charged at her with a war cry; Gajeel grimaced when he saw the big cat himself was in fact taking Levy seriously. Her success mattered to him, and as the two opponents fought Gajeel calculated her every move. She had a routine going on, it consisted of blocking and maneuvering around the opponents attack— a classic delusion that almost always gave the opportunity for an open attack when the enemy's guard is down. It could work on simple minded criminals, but any bloodthirsty professional could catch up on her technique within minutes. The one thing that saves her ass every time could just as well get her killed, and Gajeel wasn't sure if Levy had a backup plan for when her fighting moves were predicted and caught. Levy swooped down as she missed a blow from Lily, and as she dropped to the ground she swooped her leg in a windmill motion to disturb his stance, but he expertly evaded it. Levy jumped back to her feet and the fight resumed.

Gajeel remained against the wall watching the fight, his mind wandered back to the invasion the other day. He'd been thinking about it constantly, and his stomach churned just thinking about how bad it would have been if Levy were home alone that day, off guard in the comfort of her living room. She wouldn't have stranded a chance, perhaps against one opponent maybe, but two of them was a long shot. The misunderstanding that Levy had been saved from Flare came off to Ivan that the police officer packed a mighty punch that not even one of his elites could handle. Now Kurohebi and the big guy were down, and not a single trace of Gajeel was noted in the scene. It had Ivan stirring in his office space, letting his anger out by breaking glass and causing havoc in the warehouses, anything to stop himself from going insane. How was it that a police officer that barely brushed past five feet could take down three of his top elites? He wouldn't stop his games until he found out.

Gajeel, on the other hand,was caught off guard when he heard Levy sharply cry out, and his eyes widened when she fell to her knees and began coughing up. He abandoned his spot on the wall and rushed over to her, and as Lily assisted her up, Gajeel shoved his hand away from her and stepped between them.

"What the Hell, Lil?! Ya ain't supposed to actually fuckin' hurt her, damnit!" Gajeel confronted as he stared red-eyed into Lily.

"I may have overwhelmed her but I didn't hurt her," Lily explained as he looked behind Gajeel's shoulder. "I simply applied force to one of her pressure points to render her fighting. Maybe it's a bit uncomfortable, but there's no real damage done, and she'll be okay in a couple of minutes."

Gajeel followed Lily's eyes to find Levy on one knees with her eyes to the ground. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her bottom lip quivering, but like Lily mentioned she wasn't hurt. "He didn't hurt me Gajeel, he just really set off my balance."

Gajeel gritted his teeth then, "ya went too damn far, Lily."

"Gajeel I'm fine!" Levy asserted with an irritated glare, that showed she wasn't going to argue any further. The couple were sending knives with their glares and a boiling tension sparked between their disagreement.

Lily frowned grimly at the scene and sighed, "let's take a break."

 **Levy was grateful to finally sit down** on oneof the locker room's benches. She felt disoriented ever since Lily struck a chord in her neck, and gratefully it hadn't caused any pain, but it definitely made her a bit nauseous. After almost half an hour of nonstop fighting, Levy was beginning to feel as though she was reaching her limit; she could tell her body was starting to drag and run out of adrenaline and basically she was working solely on fumes and determination. A careless mistake had left her as an open target, and as her knees weakened she fell towards the ground. She didn't think it was enough reason for Lily to get so upset and feel bad, he knew what he was doing, but probably seeing her collapse the way she did must have made him regretful. The two men were holding a conversation somewhere in the gym. She placed her elbows on her knees as she tried to clear her mind, hoping that she'd be able to focus if she ridden herself of the clustered thoughts adding to her migraine. She had to fix her face if she wanted to convince the guys that she still had enough juice in her to train.

"Oi, Levy," a deep voice rumbled from beside her, and she turned to see Gajeel in the door with his arms crossed over his chest, and a grave stare that was more serious than usual.

"Don't worry, I'm fine," Levy started, already well aware of what he was most likely going to say to her. "Lily just caught me off guard is all. It doesn't hurt— I needed a break anyway. I'm used to what the Academy taught me, but this type of training is a bit straining on me, I guess I gotta get used to it." She smiled softly as she kept her eyes low and towards the ground. She heard him shuffle towards her, but she hadn't expected the sharp flick against the middle of her forehead, which immediately made her look up with a scowl on her face. "What's wrong with you?!" She asked aggressively as she frantically rubbed the sore, red spot above her brows.

He dropped into a squat then where they could finally be eye level. His face was stern then, so stern that Levy felt her own scowl break down into more of a worried look. In that moment he could see everything in her eyes, insecurities that were hidden behind confidence and determination. "Yer doin' it again," he grumbled at her.

"Doing what?" Levy pouted as she looked the other way.

"What ya always do." Gajeel nudged at her with a disapproving look. Levy was the most clever person he knew, she blew away every master mind, even Makarov in his eyes, and here the woman was playing dumb. His stare softened when he saw the way she jutted out her lip, and not in a bratty manner like he labeled it once before. It was something she did when something worried her, and with the problems they were waist deep in... the girl had a lot on her shoulders to worry about.

"Which is?" Levy grumbled as she kept her eyes away from Gajeel.

"Yer being too hard on yerself, Shorty." Gajeel's voice lowered some, and that detail alone made what he said come out more intimate and caring, the same soft voice he'd use after they made love, deep into the night during the hours between midnight and sunrise. She associated that voice with lilac creeping above darkened treetops and dew on slick grass; here in the cold, silent room surrounded with cinderblock and concrete it felt out of place, but with it rising from his chest and passing that soft smile of his she felt her chest feel fuzzy. What had taken her even more off guard was the way he sighed and ordered her to, "c'mere," in a grumbling Gajeel way of saying "come here" and without giving her much of a chance to protest he lifted her onto her feet where he then wrapped her into an embrace. She could hear his heart beat then, and before she'd chuckle when she heard it speed up in her presence, but now it was steady and strong; every rapid nerve in her settled down as it listened closely to the rhythm of his beating heart.

"No one's gonna hurt ya again, Shorty. Ya got that?" Gajeel asked her, and his arms tightened as if to prove the protection over her. "Ain't no one's gonna let anyone get ya. Not Makarov, not Lily, and definitely not me. Not over my damn dead body." He swore, and Levy felt her heart beat rise as she felt the strength in Gajeel's words. She was almost speechless then, and now she felt a bit embarrassed and like a burden that she had allowed her insecurities to show up so prominently to the point that everyone noticed.

"I hate to make you worry about me," Levy admitted gently. "I want to be strong for myself."

"Ya can be strong while allowing people to have yer back, Levy." Gajeel started, and she gasped lightly when his finger reached under her chin and brought her face towards his where their eyes could meet. "Being strong ain't about fighting battles by yerself. I learned that the hard way... you shouldn't want to learn that way neither." He gave her a mudslide of a grin that did little to conceal the darkness that clouded Gajeel's wise words. "And I'm always gonna worry about ya, ya can't stop me from that." He added, and his fingers brushed the stray hairs away from Levy's face. She blushed lightly then, and she smiled warmly as she nodded towards him.

"Thank you for worrying about me, Gajeel." She grinned.

"Ya better be. Keep downing yerself and I'll be the one arrestin' you." He challenged stepping back from her and crossing his arms over her chest. "I won't go easy on ya like ya did me, small fry... I'll give ya Hell. Yer gonna be in the slammer in no time."

This was meant to fire her up as Natsu would say, but instead it did the exact opposite. Her blush spread further out and her eyes crinkled at the corners. He could visibly see a good amount of the stress leave her body, and Levy gave a good nod to show that she understood what she was saying. "I won't forget it," she giggled, and resumed tying her hair back and out of her face. "I'll make you eat your words, Redfox," she added before sending him a challenging look behind her shoulder. He snickered then, pleased to see she had gotten a little bit of her feisty attitude back.

Levy felt better than ever now that Gajeel has reassured her, though she wish her heart wouldn't crash out her rib cage every time Gajeel did something that still felt a bit out of character. It was evident the rough man had a romantic side he was very in touch with, but as more often as it was starting to become Levy couldn't help but feel as if she'd never truly be prepared for it. She was grateful she could excuse her vivid blush as her turning red from her work out. Lily looked a bit worried when she came back into the gymnasium. "Levy, are you okay?" He managed to ask her, but he was taken off guard when Levy had did a quick hand movement, and before even Gajeel could process what had happened Lily had fallen downward, though he still managed to land on his feet and catch his fall.

"Like they say, a cat always lands on his feet." Gajeel sneered when he was honestly a tad bit disappointed Levy's move hadn't thrown Lily on his ass. Lily was very expertly skilled however, so the fact that she could ruin his balance in the first place was impressive on its own.

"Playing dirty now are we, miss Levy? Gajeel's pep talk must have been a bad influence on you." Lily grinned at both of them to show he was only teasing.

Levy smiled brightly and place her hands on her hips with her chest pressed high. "Nope, I was just proving to you that I'm back in the game and better than ever!"

Lily groaned as he brought himself back to his feet. "That's wonderful news. To keep up the positive vibe, I'd like to add that I don't think any opponent would own the stamina to fight for this long. I think you're doing just fine, Levy."

Gajeel tore down the positive parade with his interference. "Hmph, yer just gettin' old, cat. Reachin' yer last couple lives." Gajeel intervened from the side line.

"Feh. Compared to me I suppose you are nothing but a child still. Come over here and I'll put you back in a child's place," Lily challenged, and his warning of an ass whooping was enough to get an easily aggravated Gajeel ready to defend his honor. Levy accepted the opportunity to rest up some more and stepped out of the way. She did have work tomorrow and didn't want to be too sore to handle her missions. As she began stretching on the tattered floor mats by the full length mirrors lining the walls, Levy couldn't help but be distracted by the constant grunts and pants coming from the men in the middle of the room. Most of the exhales were from Gajeel, who seemed to be a bit exerted but full of energy as ever. Their fighting was stronger, harsher than what Levy experience with Lily, and Lily held such a grave state with Gajeel, she noticed the sweat flinging off of the man. Levy was captivated by Gajeel's movements, the way his muscles clenched and the strength behind his hits, all the while restraining some for the sake of Lily's safety. It brought her back to the apartment and the short glimpses she made towards him whilst he was fighting, and then the terrifying moment where Gajeel was moments away from death at the hands of the enemy, suspended in the air and struggling for his last breaths.

She hadn't thought anything when she raised her gun, aimed for her target and made the perfect head shot. She had momentarily thought back to Lucy, how proud she was when Levy made her first head shot on the cardboard sihlouette, but even that had flashed before her eyes. In that moment she had thought of Gajeel, his ruby eyes, broad shoulders and strong hands. His silly laugh, his chiseled jaw line and most importantly his smile that she felt was only for her, given she'd never seen him flash anyone that soft grin that made her heart flutter and sing. She had thought of him, how important he was and how she was desperate to protect him. She thought only of him when she killed that man. She didn't want anything to happen, she realized how deep in she was, and now it felt as though her own life didn't matter. She wanted to be strong for Gajeel, and more than anything she wanted to protect him. She was going to protect him, too.

 **The now setting sun sent beautiful streams of** amber through the gymnasium's abundant windows. The warmly lit setting was relaxing and calming as Levy packed her accessories back into her pristine gym bag. She felt a tad bit disappointed in herself that she had to dig through her closet to retrieve the old friend; she hadn't found the time to make a trip back to the gym in ages. She was chipper that it would finally be used again, given how pricey the darn bag was when she initially bought it. After securely zipping up her bag and throwing the strap across her shoulder, Levy spun towards the exit only to inhale sharply as she was startled by Gajeel abruptly stopped in the door way. She relaxed visibly when she recognized him and released the air caught in her chest.

"Gajeel," she said with a trickle of sweat still sliding down her temple, "you scared me."

"Oh, uh, s-sorry," he stumbled as he tried to remain cool, but nowadays his facade was becoming harder and harder to keep up with, at least in terms of Levy. He could remain solid around Lily or Makarov naturally, but around the cheerful bookworm he had to remind himself to breathe most of the time. Levy remained quiet despite it being her turn to speak, and with that Gajeel continued. "Ya did really good today, Levy."

"Th-thank you." Levy smiled softly as she rubbed the back of her neck gingerly. She felt like all the butterflies in her stomach would lift her feet off the ground at this rate. She was doing just fine with Gajeel when Lily was in the building, the large man had thanked Levy for her patience and hard work and waved off before closing the door behind him. Now it was just the two of them in the large, abandoned gym building, and the silence between them was even greater. "You did good too, o-obviously."

"Hmph," Gajeel chuckles softly with a warm smile.

Now Levy's heart was really racing, and seeing that smile on Gajeel's face lit her own. Now with a cheery officer before him, Gajeel felt more confident in what he'd been planning all day. "Levy, let's grab a drink... or uh—," they made eye contact and he broke it quickly. "Whatever ya want. But only if ya want to," his strong voice grew weaker as he slowly returned to her surprised gaze.

Levy's entire mood shifted positively as her face brightened; spending more time with Gajeel sounded wonderful. "Gajeel, I'd love to! I was thinking that maybe we could—!" Levy started, but then she paused as something quickly clouded her mind. Flashbacks of the attack in her apartment, of Flare assaulting her in the abandoned building, and Makarov's warnings of their company together invaded her already paranoid mind. They were both hanging on the hinges when it came to their safety, and the two of them had already had a taste of death only inches away from their startled faces. Everything bad that happened to Gajeel was somehow associated with her, and because of that she took back her word. She swore she was going to protect him too, and as much as it killed her, she stepped away from him. "O-oh, that's right, I already made plans with Lucy today." Too strengthen her lie she quickly added, "she's been asking for weeks. I promised her." She didn't break eye contact with Gajeel in hopes he wouldn't see past her excuse, but instead her heart ached when she saw the light in his eyes vanish and his smile faltered into a tight line.

"Ahh," Gajeel nodded, doing a poor job at hiding his disappointment. "Yeah, the blonde, right— Lucy," he corrected to be more respectful towards her friend. "It was last minute of me anyway, forget it."

"Gajeel... I'm sorry," Levy regretted everything.

"Don't be. There's always next time," he said looking at things in a brighter perspective than usual.

Levy smiled softly at that. "I'm glad you understand."

He nodded shortly before walking away, but he stopped when she called out his name. "Gajeel?" She started, and when he turned towards her she blushed lightly. "Thank you for today. Th-thank you for inviting me," she added, and she genuinely smiled at that. "It means a lot to me."

He found himself smiling at her before leaving the gymnasium. Levy sighed once he was out of sight and pressed a palm to her forehead. She was beyond disappointed, and never in her life did she ever think she'd reject plans with Gajeel of all people. He was the center of her attention, the man she thought of at night—she'd love to go out with him more than anything. She'd make it up to him later, she knew she would, but for now things were far too risky. She knew that, and he knew it more. In fact, earlier that day Makarov had spoken to both of them, but to the lack of their knowledge, separately. It had started with a phone call that morning which led to Gajeel finding himself saying goodbye to Levy in the elevator and then making his way towards the master's office. Levy would be spoken to later.

 **Earlier that morning**

 _Whatever it was it better to be good,_ Gajeel thought to himself irritably as he grumbled under his breath. A perfect day with Levy barely started when the master interrupted their love making that morning, and anything interrupting that better be worth while. He glared into the metal of the enclosed elevator all the way until Makarov's floor, and as he entered the office space he had to admit that it felt as if a weight has been released from him shoulders. Gajeel was a strong man that could handle his own, but he had to admit that no where in this world felt safer than this floor. The master a strong and beloved man yet feared by many for his history, his strength, and no threats ever touched the building yet, not even the outskirts of it. Gajeel knocked a few times before allowing himself in, and the master's eyes brightened as he acknowledged the man.

"Top of the mornin', kiddo," Makarov greeted a clearly agitated Gajeel, with little awareness that this agitation was actually longing. Gajeel felt as if a piece of him was missing, and after feeling whole again it was ripped away the moment Levy had to walk away from him. "I'm glad ya could make it. Have a seat!"

Gajeel stopped in his tracks and immediately noticed a familiar face making her way towards the master. He made a 'feh' noise under his breath. "Huh, haven't seen you in a while. Demon's visiting from Hell, huh Master? Is that really why yer callin' me in here?"

"Oh please," Mirajane put her nose in the air at Gajeel's rude greeting, though it wasn't anything she wasn't use to and definitely didn't take it to heart. "Those days are over and you know that... or at least I hope they'd be." The woman set down a few drinks for the three of them even though Gajeel didn't ask for one. Her statement sparked curiosity in him as he sat down, and now he was even more confused as to why the master had called him into his office. Mira disassociated herself from all of the Dreyer's business ever since Lisanna's accident that resulted into a coma, even though like many of those on the force, Mira viewed the master as a fatherly figure. It was odd seeing the two in the same room, especially with how busy Makarov kept himself with Laxus and Gajeel.

"Whatcha talkin' about?" Gajeel asked the bar maid, and she turned away from him to politely suggest something to the Master.

"Gajeel's come a long way for this, master, I think we should cut right to the chase." She smiled wryly.

"Very well then, my dear, proceed." The master nodded with permission and placed his hands on his lap. He grabbed his steaming drink that was placed beside his perched form on the table, and gave Mira his attention.

"There's something we'd like to talk to you about, Gajeel." She started, "its about Levy."

Gajeel's voice caught in his throat as every muscle in him tightened. He didn't think others would be aware of their company, whatever they'd want to call it, but he remained unbothered. "What about her?"

Mira continued, "Makarov caught me up on how the two of you have been growing closer with one another. With her being part of the police unit we were afraid this sort of thing may happen. As risky as it already is, I'm afraid to say that things have gotten a little more out of hand." Mira spoke, and her voice trembled slightly which made Gajeel nervous for once. Mira was as tough as him despite her gentle voice and soft look, and in that ridiculous frilly get up she always seemed to wear, the part time model was as threatening as Erza when she needed to be.

"Whad'ya mean?" Gajeel asked, but after Mira and the master exchanged a look, Mira undid the ribbon holding up her dress at the base of her neck. Gajeel was unbothered and uninterested when the material slipped dangerously low off of her shoulders, a sight he was sure the rest of Makarov's force would pay good Jewels for. However, the answer to part of his confusion was answered when a large gauze covered the left side of Mira's chest. She looked a bit ashamed when Gajeel's mouth dropped open, and a bit of her older self could be seen in her youthful face; cold eyes replaced her glistening look and she gritted her jaw.

"M-Mira... what the Hell happened?" Gajeel asked. The two of them couldn't figure out if Gajeel was concerned or simply surprised that someone could hurt Mira. She was strong like he mentioned before, but it was difficult to catch Gajeel by surprise like that.

"I was attacked a few days ago and luckily managed to get out alive with only a bullet wound." Mira slowly adjusted her clothes and brought the ribbon back to her neck. She didn't even wince with all the movement shifting under the gauze, and Gajeel wondered just how tough the woman truly was. "It was an expert aim to the heart, and with just the right amount of luck I turned in time for the shooter to miss. I'll have to admit that I wasn't very confident that I'd make it out of that fight alive. I hadn't engaged in fighting in years, I've gotten weaker, certainly." Memories flashed before her and now she was trembling slightly, clearly frustrated with herself, though that was her own personal conflict that Gajeel knew she wouldn't share with him. "I knew a bit about what's been going on thanks to being in close contact with Makarov, but ever since I left the station behind I thought I'd be the last on Ivan's list."

Gajeel blood ran colder as chills trembled his spine; he knew exactly where this conversation was going in terms of relevance with Levy.

"Laxus and I..." Mira grew a bit embarrassed as the blush was visible on her face, but she remained professional and quickly spoke over her rising bashfulness. "Laxus and I have been on a few dates now and, well, clearly he's being watched. As expected, sure, but never had I thought this would happen... not something as severe as this."

"This is insane," Gajeel softly spoke to himself, eyes wide and staring no where in particular that it clicked in his head.

"Levy is a police officer," Mira reminded him with a distressed face and worry plaguing her pale blue eyes. "They won't hesitate to kill her, especially if they see her associated with you. They have to have some kind of suspicion of you already, this is Ivan we're talking about, he's as clever as he is dangerous. If they attacked me for being close to Laxus, then there's no telling that they'll be after Levy, next. They've already broke into her apartment, don't think one failed attempt is going to stop them." Mira turned to Gajeel with a desperation in her voice, "you have to protect her. All of our lives are in danger, but you can at least look out for her's." Her eyes glistened then, teary this time. "Levy's important to me, I've known her since she was a little girl. She's important to you as well, isn't she?"

Makarov watched Gajeel carefully now, and when the notoriously cold man warmed up with a nod of his head and a serious stare, Makarov grinned.

"The master and I have agreed that it may be best for you and Lily to train Levy. She needs to be prepared if anything were to happen to her in the same extremes as it did me. I'm far more experienced than Levy and even they put up a challenge. She's still new and can't handle this type of enemy. We can't let her down."

"I ain't gonna let them hurt her," Gajeel growled in an almost argumentative tone. "I'll make that girl the toughest officer in that bastards whole district." Gajeel promised, referring to Laxus. Mira's worry lightened monetarily, but apprehension still flooded her chest as she didn't stay still. She remained silent for the most part of the meeting, given the master and Gajeel had critical information to exchange. She fidgeted the remainder of their meeting, and as Gajeel left the two of them and closed the door behind himself as he left, the master and the former demon remained silent as they finished another drink.

"Gajeel and Levy, Huh?" Mira started as she giggled over her tea. "Who'd ever guess it? It's a classic sort of 'opposites attract' love story, isn't it?"

"Perhaps, but of course so much deeper than that. The two compliment each other's differences wonderfully, but when you really analyze the pair, there's a abundance of similarities as well." The Master smiled just thinking about it.

"Similarities?" Mira asked curiously, secretly relishing the exchange of gossip to her new found love for the most recent couple in her book of schemes.

"Plenty," Makarov responded. "I see a great amount of potential in both of them. It's as if something's holding the two of them back, some kind of insecurity or weakness. Although both of them are strong on their own, I believe the two will find that strength in one another, given they've walked a very similar path given their different up bringing."

"How so, Master?" Mira asked with furrowed brows.

"The both of them are orphaned, like many of my children are. However, most of those young adults eventually found family elsewhere, whether it be their peers or relationships they've made on their own. While Levy had no trouble fitting in, she always preferred to be by herself and alone, and Gajeel, well... he isn't exactly a people person himself. The two always chose the lonesome route, yet found comfort in one another's company. Haven't you noticed the connection? They share similar predicaments in their own self worth. I think being able to understand one another can help them heal." Makarov explained into further detail.

"Now that you mention it..." Mira tapped her finger on her lips as she pondered. "I think it's also evident enough in the fact that he pays her attention. The only people that can get through his thick skull is you and Lily. I've never seen Gajeel attracted to someone before, nor interested in them this deeply. It's beautiful, really. Love truly finds everyone eventually."

Makarov smiled at that but returned to a grave state. "I'm sorry for what my son has done to you, Mirajane."

"Master, please don't apologize." She smiled warmly when Makarov's eyes met her own. "I'm alive and breathing. I'll be fine."

The master believed her but remained silent. He stared deeply into his drink and prayed to the heavens that the rest of his children would as well. The city of Magnolia stood still and silent behind his shoulders, and little did the residents know of the blood shed and war happening between the crime and justice of the city. He took a final sip and decided he'd place his worry on the matter in the morning.

 **Levy couldn't get herself out of a car ride from** Gajeel. She was startled again when he waited for her by the exit and refused to let her catch the bus. He was extra persistent this time, and the stubborn man put up a fight until she gave up and climbed into his vehicle. Levy felt worried about being seen in public with him but didn't bring it up, and after a very uneventful goodbye she concealed her identity before climbing out of the car and into Lucy's apartment. The small talk was a breeze and came naturally between the two, but Levy felt unfulfilled and wanted more. She watched with a heavy heart as Gajeel drove off, all the way until the tail lights of his car disappeared in the distance and she couldn't keep track of him anymore. If the circumstances were different she'd be disappearing into the horizon with him, happier than she was feeling at the moment. She sighed and took the hat off her head, releasing her messy blue locks from their hiding.

"Long day, huh Lev?" Lucy asked from her desk without looking at her.

"Tiresome but very fun!" Levy smiled to ease her new roommate's worry. She didn't keep conversation up given that Lucy was consumed in a novel she was writing. Her eyes were practically glued to the screen. Levy smiled softly at her friend's passion and headed up the stairs towards her new bedroom. It was pitiful being back to only a bedroom when she was so accustomed to having her own apartment to herself. However, she was beyond grateful she was even alive, and Lucy's place was on the nicer part of town. She was barely making ends meet given how expensive her home was; it was so nice it was hard to keep Natsu and his companion happy out, Levy got used to their sudden bombardments fairly quickly.

To ease her troubled mind Levy picked up a novel she read over and over again. The pages were worn in and smelled heavenly, the book cover softened after all the journeys she'd taken it on. She found a spot on the window seat secure in the corner with just enough room to tuck her knees to her chest. With the skyline glowing alongside the twinkling stars Levy felt at peace as she was lost in a tale as old as time. She was hypnotized by the beautiful words and captivating story that she missed the first few crucial rings of the cellphone beside her feet. She wrinkled her nose at the unknown number and answered the call.

"Hello?" Levy asked hesitantly, but was taken aback by the painful cough the voice on the other end given her. It sounded guttural and wet, like the person was terribly sick. Levy cringed at the disgusting sound and wondered what in Fiore was wrong with the person who called her. "Hello?" She tried again, clearly concerned and disturbed this time.

"Oi, Shorty..." a rigid voice crept from Levy's phone, weakly. Her heart dropped to her stomach and she immediately leapt off the cushioned seat and got to her feet. In the window pane she could see her troubled expression faded against the skyline.

"G-Gajeel is that you? Why are you calling me? Not to sound rude, I mean, I just didn't expect it this late is all..." She asked frantically, and before she knew it hear stomach was flipping over and over again. The silence that answered her made her panic all the more, and her grip tightened immensely around her phone. "Gajeel, are you still there?"

"I- I need your h-help..." his voice strained out, and now the giddy feeling she was experiencing had morphed into upmost terror.

"Is everything okay? Wait a second, are you hurt? Gajeel where are you?" Levy was practically screaming as she paced her bedroom back and forth. She was grabbing things as she went, from her keys to her purse.

"I'm outside the Blonde's apartment—," more rigid coughing came from the receiving end of the phone. "—in the telephone booth. It ain't hard to miss, tr-trust me."

"What the Hell?" Levy questioned as she ran towards the makeshift balcony, two double doors lead to about two feet of floor space and then was secured by iron railing. Levy had just enough room to lean over the rails and look outward to what had to be Gajeel. "Oh my God, Gajeel!" She cried in an instant as she saw a barely illuminated figure crumbled on the floor of the phone booth, with half his body still remaining on the sideway. A dark liquid stained the cobble stones and a horrible feeling hit the bottom of her stomach. Levy was in fight or flight as she raced down the stairs and grabbed Lucy's car keys off of the table. Lucy was no where to be seen and the bluenette hoped she'd understand. It took her seconds to make it to Gajeel, and when she made it to the opening of the booth she gasped loudly at the bloody scene. "Gajeel!" She cried out, but he was barely holding on to dear life as he trembled. "What happened to you?!"

"I'll explain later. Help me into the apartment, I can fix my wounds myself if I get some supplies—," he was interrupted by the blood gushing out of his mouth and against the phone booth's floors. He was growing weaker by the second, and now he was worried if Levy would be able to drag him up the steps and into the kitchen on time.

Levy was hysterical, "are you insane?! There's no way you're dressing that wound up yourself! We're getting you to a hospital!"

"I ain't going to no hospital, damnit!" Gajeel argued. "It ain't that damn bad, I can handle myself on my own!"

"You need medical attention, you idiot!" Levy shrieked at him. "This is one of the worst wounds I've ever seen," her stare went to his torso where he was severely bleeding. On her way to the booth she'd spotted a trail of streaking blood, it was a miracle that he was even alive given how much blood he was losing. "Hurry, we've got to get you some help!"

"Levy, ya don't understand—," Gajeel started, but he was fading in and out of consciousness. Levy panicked as she quickly grabbed him by his shoulders and dragged him out of the phone booth with a new found strength. The man roared as his wound was tugged at during the rough, sudden jolt of his body slammingto the left. Levy cringed sharply, "I'm so sorry, Gajeel, it can't be helped!"

Gajeel forced himself to his feet and leaned against her with what little strength he had left. His car was nowhere to be seen and Levy's mind was bombarded with questions he couldn't answer to at the moment. She brought him to Lucy's car, and a twenty second walk became a dragging, horrifying seven minutes. She buckled him in and tried to avoid the wound sprouting just under his rib cage. She revved the car and tore out of sight, she slammed on the accelerator in a way similar to Cana's usual patrol around the block, and in moments the two of them had made it to the highway. By this time Gajeel's breaths had shortened to a dangerous pace, he was barely getting air in; this alone made Levy slam her foot down and slingshot Lucy's car forward against the abandoned strip of road. Levy felt her palms trembled and tightened them against the steering wheel to keep still. "Gajeel who did this to you?" When his body limply scooted to the side and he was unresponsive, she felt her heart drop to her stomach. "Gajeel, stay with me! You're gonna be okay, just stay with me a little longer, please!" She begged.

Gajeel inhaled deeply then, and his eyes fluttered slightly as a pair of blood red eyes turned towards her. With his vision fading in and out, throughout the black dots consuming his vision he could pick up on her pale face, tears threatening her eyes. Her voice was distant, as if she was on shore and he was feet under water, sinking lower and deeper into an endless abyss, dark water consuming everything around him. He could pick up the concern in her voice but little did he know of what she was saying, it was only then that he notice the road block signs ahead, and the orange traffic cones reflected off of Lucy's headlights which Levy ignored in her panic.

"Levy..." he spoke up with a hoarse voice dying down on her.

"Gajeel!" She responded desperately.

"Look out," He croaked, and as he said his Levy swerved to the other line and slammed both of them to the left as she nearly ran the car into road work and countless pedestrians in neon jackets. The blinding lights glared the windshield and she'd lost control of the car; Gajeel terribly wanted to do something to fix their situation, but he was losing feeling in his limbs; the amount of blood he lost was something he couldn't keep track with, and the dark, taunting liquid was pooling messily in the blonde police officer's personal car. By the time Levy straightened her wheel and jolted the car back into one, solid lane she exhaled. She couldn't begin to imagine how many beats her heart was going a second, it felt as if she weren't alive given how much adrenaline was coarsing through her. She sighed with relief over the wheel, "see? I told you were okay!" She joyously turned to Gajeel who was beginning to faint, and as she said this something caught her attention. The rear view mirror illuminated with bright blue and the familiar sound of sirens screeched within the car.

"Oh my God," Levy started as her shoulders shrunk. "You're kidding me! Can't they just run up the license and understand it's Lucy's car?" When Gajeel didn't respond she felt more nervous. "Should I stop for them?" She asked herself, and to the right of her she couldn't even make out where he wound on Gajeel had started. His crisp white button down was saturated in burgundy, it soaked the seat beneath him; he was a dead man if she didn't get him to the hospital ASAP. She didn't have time to risk if it weren't someone she knew personally at the office, and there was the situation wit Gajeel, his affiliation with the Mafia, she didn't know what to do in this situation.

"I can't believe I'm doing this..." Levy muttered to herself apprehensively, and she firmly bit down on her bottom lip and pushed the car towards its limits as she exceeded the speeding limit by 35. Levy could see the cop car behind her only inches away from the car's rear, and to her horror multiple sirens began going off as back up arrived. It was now a high speed chase, and never had Levy ever imagined that she'd be the one leading it. She was only an exit away from the hospital, and a nervous feeling settled in her stomach as to how she was going to explain this. She glanced at her phone and quickly reached for it, and to her surprise at 1 A.M the man had answered by the second ring.

"I'll explain later, but I need your help," Levy started and her voice trembled terribly. Every nerve in her was shaking, and as she slowed down towards the exit and ran the stop light she suddenly felt relieved.

Levy paced uncomfortably for the longest. She did so in the hallway feet away from the waiting room. She was restless, and she felt as if minutes had went by, she overthought herself into an anxious mess and already bit her nails down into stubs, something she never did before. She glanced up at the clock to see the time was already five A.M, where had all the time gone? She felt as if she was in a trance, and the only thing to zap her back into reality was when she recognized the large man passing the entrance of the waiting room, dressed down in uniform. His blonde hair was slightly unkept, given it was usually slicked back professionally. She hadn't seen his bedhead in ages, and now she felt even more nervous for disturbing him. He walked towards her and carried a dreadful silence on his shoulders, it made every sit up straighter and feel uncomfortable. The hairs on Levy's neck stood up, and she had no strength in her to keep her chin up or pump out her chest. Her shoulders hunched and she bit down on her bottom lip to stop it from quivering. He was really going to drill into her.

"Laxus," she choked out. "Laxus I am so, so sorry, I—," her voice cracked then. He glared at her sullenly, and she felt smaller than usual even with their height difference. "I know I messed up terribly, I know I broke so many laws, I know I... I know I ruined my chances of being a police officer—," she didn't want to cry in front of him so she didn't, but she couldn't hold back how quickly she was speaking. "I know you're mad at me, you have every right to be, and I'm not asking you to forgive me, but please understand that I'd never—,"

She stopped abruptly when his large hand dropped in the middle of her head. She jumped then, startled by the sudden action. Laxus's face softened and a ghost of a smile could be seen in his lips, but the man wasn't grinning. "Levy. Out of everything in this world, not once have I ever believed that you'd be the reason for a high speed chase at this hour. Seems like you're finally taking my advice of gettin' out more, kid, but I never meant it like this. You take things too seriously."

Levy blinked a few times as she was completely lost. She stared up at him with wide eyes and furrowed his brows. "Wait... what..?" Levy started wit a puzzled stare. "Y-you're not mad at me?"

"I'm surprised more than anything, but now that I've gotten a good look at the guy, everything's starting to make sense." He sent her a disapproving glare and Levy felt herself shrink small like a child being lectured. Now she was expecting the scolding she deserved, but once again it hadn't arrived. "Have you seen him yet?"

"Seen who?" Levy asked nervously.

Laxus didn't look impressed, instead he sternly crossed his arm across his chest. "The smartest woman in our force is playing dumb, pfft, now I've seen it all." He continued when Levy remained silent. "Surely you know the identity of the man you saved, don't you?" Levy held a guilty look to her pleading eyes. She nodded shyly and looked rather ashamed for it.

"They wouldn't allow me to see him," she started. "Not even after I told them he was my fiancé."

"Y-you're engaged?" Laxus stumbled over his words in a rather out of character way. The shock made red sky rocket up his neck and streak across the high points of his face. He truly had no idea what Levy was up to anymore, he realized that he needed to check up on her more often. "C-congratulations!"

"No, I'm not engaged!" Levy cried out as she shared of blush that was far more vivid that Laxus's. "I just wanted to see him! That's all..." Levy's voice died down and her eyes drifted away. Laxus noticed how worried she was and wasn't all that surprised. He'd arrived at the hospital and found Levy in a hysteric mess, she was covered in the other man's blood and it was thanks to Laxus that she even had clean clothes on. They were Mira's spares that she kept in his bottom drawer, and the clothes were a bit looser on Levy in places where they were skin tight and flattering on Mira, but they were presentable and got the job done. Levy was grateful for the baggy clothing that kept her warm in the frigid hospital, and she hugged herself as her growing doom for Gajeel's well being consumed her.

"C'mon, Levy," Laxus said with a tired voice as he walked away from the bookworm.

"Where are we going?" Levy asked with a surprised voice.

Laxus glanced at her from behind his shoulder, "you want to see your fiancé, don't you?" And he smiled at her when she blushed once more. Levy had no time to be flustered, she quickly caught up with Laxus and rushed towards the room that held Gajeel Redfox. Luckily Laxus' status in this city and his uniform got him whatever he wanted in these sort of situations. The man couldn't help but notice the relief in Levy's eyes when she was finally going to see him, and something clicked in Laxus that he'd known all along, but never once mentioned. It was the same look she'd shared for him before, but it was stronger this time, and to him it seemed as thought it was far more promising and real. He smiled softly, and finally, just maybe the girl he worried about the most would be okay.

The still room smelled sickly of cleaning supplies and antibiotics; something about the near death experience heightened Gajeel's senses. He was awoken briefly by the door swinging open, and his heart fluttered when he recognized her voice. He remained still then and kept his eyes closed, as he was drifting between a state of conscious and unconscious. He felt calm knowing her presence was there, but still it remained to feel as if she were miles away, her words barely audible although she were speaking clearly. He wanted to look at her, but the lights were blinding and he was losing hope in staying awake much longer. Something warm enveloped his frigid hand and he relaxed some, and he felt his eyelids grow heavier despite his now pounding heart. He was fading away but still there enough to register how soft her hands were, so welcoming and tender compared to his. Her finger tips traced circles against his skin lovingly, and like that he'd return to his rest.

"Gajeel," Levy said just above a whisper as she finally got a good look at him. The blood had been washed off the man and thankfully the wound had been closed up and addressed; from where he laid he didn't look to bad, but there were bruises on his face that told stories of a gruesome fight she'd have to learn about later. For now he needed to rest, and she squeezed his hand firmly in hopes her trembling wouldn't shake his entire arm. She bit on her lip then, and despite how badly she wanted to cry she was amazed it was saddened tears, but tears of relief. "Thank God, you're okay..." she whispered to him, and she raised his hand to her's where she placed his palm against her cheek. She heard Laxus shift around near the doorway before closing the heavy door behind him, and she gently laid Gajeel's hand back onto the bed. She was blushing vividly now. "He is going to be okay, right?" Levy asked with an authoritative tone despite the cracks in her voice; it's as if she demanded and knew he'd be okay, she just needed the extra reassurance from Gajeel to calm her nerves.

"He's gonna be fine," Laxus answered her worries as he leaned against one of the cabinets lining the room. "Luckily for him nothing major was hit..."

"Was he shot?" Levy asked with furrowed brows.

"It's a stab wound surprisingly, but it wasn't a damn pocket knife that got him, that's for damn sure." Laxus took a sip from his coffee, and it was then that Levy realized how tired he looked. "Had to have been some kind of sword."

"A sword?" Levy asked as she pushed her face a bit forward to him, like she hadn't heard him right. "What year are we in? What kind of maniac carries sword nowadays?"

"They're still used in martial arts," Laxus reminded.

"This is insane," Levy began. "I've never seen that much blood in my life, he had to have been stabbed repeatedly. Why would anyone do this? I can't believe it..." Levy's hands tightened into fists as she remained on her knees beside Gajeel's bed.

"It's not that hard to believe, Levy." Laxus started, and something shifted in his voice that made Levy swallow roughly. "Considering the fact that he's in the mafia."

Levy froze completely still at the confrontation. Her hands began to sweat and she slowly turned to Laxus with a blank stare that wouldn't give off anything. Makarov had told her not to tell any of the other officers about their association with one another, Levy wasn't supposed to have anything to do with Gajeel to begin with. She had encountered her himself without order. Laxus was in charge of everything, so surely he had to have known something by now, right? Makarov must have told him... so why was he glaring at her with so much distaste and disappointment? She felt her stomach flip and tightened her hands around the hospital blankets layered over Gajeel. "I don't understand," Levy lied, but Laxus wasn't buying it.

"Given that your little friend is associated with the mafia and fondling with you, it's harder to believe that hasn't been killed yet," Laxus continued, and when he saw how grossly pale Levy had become his stern glare diminished. "Levy... what have you gotten yourself into now?"

"It was a misunderstanding!" Levy defended herself. "Makarov is taking care of it, so just drop it Laxus, now isn't the time to talk about it. I told you I'd explain later, didn't I? Don't you think I've had a rough enough night as it is?" Levy exploded, and she turned away from him and returned to look after Gajeel. His heart was beating steady and if she didn't know any better she would have guessed he were sound asleep.

"You don't know what happened to Mirajane, do you?" Laxus asked although he knew that Levy had no clue.

"Mira..?" Levy started. "The bartender from Fairy Tail? What about her?"

"You might not remember her much from your younger years, but... she used to be an excellent police officer until an accident made her give up her badge. Her and I very close..." Laxus's voice trailed off and something filled his eyes as he spoke, memories Levy would never learn about most likely. "We hadn't talked ever since she left the force, so I assumed talking to her now that she would be safe."

"Safe from what?" Levy asked nervously.

Laxus stares at the ground deeply before closing his eyes slowly in defeat. "From my father," he announced sadly. "Unfortunately, a few days ago Mira was shot in the chest, the bullet nearly missed her heart."

The news paralyzed Levy as she soaked it all in. She hadn't recognized Mira from her early years given the woman at the bar was soft and feminine, warm and welcoming— she was nothing like the Mira that recollected in Levy's memory: high ponytail, blood-raging eyes and a temper that earned her the nickname 'demon'. Now that she put two and two together, she did recognize the woman as someone she'd met before, and now their introduction and greeting at the bar felt unnecessary and a tad bit embarrassing. Levy worried if Mira had recognized her all along, and now she felt rude. However, Mira had nothing to do with the police anymore, so why would she be targeted now of all people?

"It's because her and I have become closer now..." Laxus started, and he wasn't much of an open person so he kept the detail to himself. "That's why they tried to kill her, because of me..." his fists tightened and his voice grew hoarse as he said it aloud, and Levy felt the concern in her for Laxus grow. She still cared about him, and now was a good time to comfort her and say something supportive, but with such shocking news the usually witty girl felt speechless. "We weren't even that open in public together and they went as far as to try and murder her..." he took a deep breath in, "but... what concerns me most is you, Lev. You've been out in public with Gajeel, you've been spotted." As he confronted her Levy's alright mind-consuming paranoia caused explosions in her mind and rumbled her stomach with apprehension; she already knew was was down the bad turn this conversation was taking. "If this is the logic behind it, killing those important to me... then they'll be after you next— actually, let me take myself out of the equation. They'll kill you for being associated with Gajeel, and it looks like tonight they already tried to off the man himself."

Levy's eyes widened as what little color in her face remained had completely vanished. She looked like she'd just seen a ghost, and Laxus hated more than anything to see Levy so still and uncomfortable. She was a very anxious girl in times of battle, but she wasn't a coward. Levy was courageous despite her timid attitude at times, and if that didn't help it was her charismatic personality and optimistic attitude that carried her proudly through all her hardships. Laxus hadn't spotted any in this moment, and the young girl he grew up with looked more like a stranger at this point. "If you thought you were in danger before, you have no idea how fucked up your predicaments become."

Levy gulped at the sound of that, and she didn't allow it to rub her the wrong way. Laxus was only trying to warn her, not scare her, and she released the blankets crumpled in her hands; her finger tips and knuckles were white as she forced them to stop trembling. She knew things were bad, but she didn't think they'd get this out of hand this quickly. Now she was wondering if Lily and Gajeel hadn't went harder on her during training, she scanned her brain for everything she learned in her years in the academy, and more than anything she wondered if she had the skills and strength to protect herself. "I understand," Levy started, surprising her boss who still remained across the room. "I'm better off dead at this point, I get it." She said with an unbothered tone and little to no change in her voice apart from the sudden bravery that hinted its presence in her words. "But right now Gajeel needs me— the whole station needs me, and most importantly Magnolia needs me." She stood up then, feeling taller than she's had in months— years. "So until then, until that day comes..." she gave one final look at Gajeel before turning back to a taken aback Laxus. "I'm going to keep fighting," Levy's apprehensive stare melted into an unforgiving glare of determination as she tightened her hands into fists. "That's a promise."

Laxus was thrown off by the change in attitude, but he said nothing of it. Instead the head of the police unit let out a soft smile and released the tension in his shoulders. "Well what do ya know," he started with a chuckle in his voice. "You haven't learned a thing." This was clearly his way of teasing her, but the both of them could hear it in his voice that he was undeniably proud of her. "I'll have your back, McGarden, we all will." He took a glimpse of Gajeel, knocked out cold and breathing shallowly behind her. "You can guarantee he'll have yours, too." Laxus ignored the blush that bloomed over Levy's intimidating stare, it was too humorous for him.

The two of them were startled, however, when the door was slammed open by an unexpected guest. Levy was shocked to see Master Makarov outside of his office, and she couldn't believe he drove all this way, though with Gajeel's predicament it wasn't that much of a surprise. "Master," Levy greeted respectfully, but the master remained silent. He walked over to Gajeel, who remained pale and still. Levy's face hardened into a saddened look, and she wished she could tell Makarov better news. However, it was the master who spoke.

"The boy will be fine," Makarov announced with a voice not similar to his own. "At first the doctors weren't sure he'd see tomorrow, given the severity of his wound and how long he left it unattended... however, that news has changed. He has some recovering to do, but he'll—," Makarov started, but he was taken aback by Levy's tears. She covered her mouth with both hands as she tried to hold it in. She kept her body stiff to reduce her trembling, but the overwhelming relief of it all had gotten the best of her. Makarov easily distinguished between sad and happy tears, and so he smiled happily for Levy, the weight lifting from her shoulders was visible to everyone. Laxus was disbelieved by the tears almost, he'd never seen Levy grow this emotional for anyone. Laxus felt something in his heart tighten for her, and the scene here had definitely confirmed everything he'd assumed from the beginning. Someone he took for granted stood feet before him, something he ruined selfishly still remained broken and unfinished between them , with no closure, no clarification. With all his mistakes, all of his regrets, it didn't matter anymore— they had been forgotten, forgotten by her. She had forgotten him. He shouldn't have cared, but it shifted something in him, it made him feel uneasy, he wasn't sure what it was. Rekindling or perhaps some kind of agreement, he wasn't sure what he was expecting, but it was too late now. It was over with.

Levy wasn't the girl he grew up with. She was stronger, older, more experienced and mature than he'd ever seen. He wasn't very active in her life, he had done a shit job of checking up on her and he knew that. It was his mistake, and all that was left to do was apologize. He knew that. However, now it was as if he never knew her at all, and with that he felt and uncomfortable space grown in him, something that felt empty. And to him surprise, throughout everything he was feeling, happiness beamed through him. It made him smile almost, smile for the girl he was feeling detached from. He was happy for Levy, and finally, just finally he could feel some kind of peace with her. There was always something different about her these past few months, something on edge- something passionate, and now he felt foolish for not realizing all along.

She was in love.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N** : So I didn't leave an author's note last chapter because I was SOOO ashamed of how long it took me to update, but I couldn't let this go unsaid THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE SWEET REVIEWS! You guys are my favorite and it makes me so excited to write more for you guys. Thank you for your support! Please enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think! Also there is a citrusy lemon scene and as always it'll be separated by the [XXX] at the beginning and end for anyone who'd like to skip. Thank you so much and enjoy!

 **Chapter 11:**

 **Gajeel jolted upright when he** gained consciousness; the unsettling sensation of not being in his own bed made every alarm in him set off. It was hard to believe that such a calming environment could prove to be so stressful and alarming to a certain rough-on-the-edges man. The silence was welcoming, and the soft hum of the Lacrima-Tv in the corner provided a comfortable source of background noise; the sickly smell of blood and cleaning chemicals had evaporated from the air and left behind was the subtle smell of the flowers resting on the bedside table for Gajeel, the white pedals stretched towards the ceilings with a determined will to thrive, and little specks of gold sprouted from the center of he flowers. A card was placed in front of the skin glass vase that contained the arrangement, in a familiar script read: _They're Lillies, not tulips._

Gajeel groaned at the sight. He was still struggling to remain conscious, but the sharp, agonizing ache that shot sharp rigid lightning streaks of pain up his side relentlessly forced him wide awake. He gently clenched at the wound secured under thick pads of gauze; he felt himself beginning to sweat buckets just from the stress and pain his body was experiencing. A fever broke over his pale skin and Gajeel gritted his teeth and seethed whilst releasing strained, shallow breaths through his clenched jaw; he was beyond pissed off now, and the longer he stayed awake the more rage filled him as memories were processing through his mind. Those damn mafia bastards had tried to get rid of him, and they almost successfully polished him off, too. How could he have been so stupid? Sure he was out numbered, but Gajeel hadn't been checked into a hospital in years, it wasn't like him to get hurt so easily. He was going to make every one of those assholes pay, and if Ivan thought he was going to get out of this easily he was dead wrong. Gajeel was saving something extra special for him, that was for certain, but until then he'd have to get back on his feet.

The double agent had been startled when the blanket on his lap shifted, and as the impressive pain died down into a warm ache that felt like static electricity over his torso, he finally cleared his mind up enough to find a blue bob of hair resting over his legs. Her face was turned to him slightly, and she rested on her arms as a pillow. She was sound asleep now, and behind her remained the soft hum of the abandoned Lacrima-T.V broadcasting reruns of Sorcerer Weekly's fashion show. The volume had been turned down before she passed out, he assumed, and he wondered just how long she'd stayed awake for him. The time was nearing six in the morning, and Gajeel sighed as he didn't recognize the clothes on the frail girl. The articles of clothing didn't resemble her'flashy" attire that he had grown so used to, which included tight and suggestively short mini skirts that showed off her plump thighs and thick backside. Levy wasn't afraid to show some skin, he learned that quickly, and she always dressed to compliment her predominant curves that she was so blessedly gifted. Everything on her as of now was so baggy, as if it were two sizes two big; from here he could see the sleeves were just a little too long for her arms as the material brushed her fingertips. Admiring the tired girl helped kickstart his clouded memory, and when every event from earlier that night came back to him, and flashbacks of a wide eyed Levy abruptly coming to a stop in front of the phone booth replayed in his mind. He was seeing multiple versions of her as his endeavoring vision shifted and blurred, but what he remembered mostly was her bright blue hair, her worried golden stare and how warm her hands felt on his cold, deathly skin. He remembered how the iron scent of his overpowering blood was strong enough to make anyone nauseous, and it was inevitable that the threatening liquid splattered all over her, it seeped into her clothes and smeared all over her hands; some would have turned away in horror but Levy hadn't blinked an eye.

Now she was all washed up and sleeping peacefully, with a simple look so blissful that no one in Fiord would have ever guessed the traumatic events she had only a few hours before. Gajeel felt horrible for that, he hated that she had to see what happened to him, but there was no one else he could turn to. The Master was over half an hour down the highway and Lily even further. The closest place was Lucy's home, and he dragged himself there with everything left in him. He had walked the silent streets of Magnolia, trailing sickly blood alongside glistening cobblestones, and through the unwelcoming night his mind morphed into his greatest enemy as he hallucinated and saw alarming faces in the shadows and heard taunting voices within harmless nightly sounds such as the access rainwater dripping into collective puddles on the abandoned streets. He kept one hand to his wound and the other tightly around his shaking, unstable hand gun. He felt his body trembling as he increasingly lost more blood, and he stumbled forwards but caught himself on a street light post and forced himself to remain upright. To think these were the very streets he raised havoc on so many years ago; he recalled the distant memories and all of the countless fights he had initiated and won. This was the last place he'd allow himself to spend his final moments before death, he refused to die on the very streets that praised the old and corrupt version of himself, the streets that looked up to a horrific, crime-thirsty monster. He wasn't the same man anymore and he refused to set his grave in a monster's place; he pushed forward to Lucy's home even if it would kill him.

She actually waited for me, he thought with astonished bewilderment. He's landed himself in the hospital a numerous amount of times and it always ended in fast recoveries and never with any visits. He wasn't used to this kind of thing, he didn't ask for the pity, the worry or even the company, but now he couldn't have been happier to have seen her fast asleep by his side. Gajeel's fingers woven into Levy's wavy hair carefully as to not disturb her desperately needed rest; he smiled lovingly when she nuzzled her cheek further into her arms as she grew more comfortable. Gajeel concluded that as long as Levy was here things wouldn't be so bad; and he felt himself feel immensely better. He knew he was beyond lucky to have her, and as his touch lingered and he quietly played with her hair, he was startled when she woke up fairly easily. The two of them locked eyes and their alert faces began to resemble the color of Gajeel's eyes, but neither of them tore away like their instincts ordered them to.

"L-Levy," Gajeel stuttered, and she blinked the sleep out of her eyes as she registered where she was. Now it was all coming back to her, and her eyes glazed over the teal hospital sheets and towards Gajeel's torso where his wound still remained. Gajeel felt ashamed then when her attention went to his biggest insecurity; he retracted his hand from her hair and kept it on his lap clenched up in a tight fist. He was ashamed to be seen like this, but the sight of his defeat was no where near as humiliating as the memory of Levy dragging his half dead body across the city. He had went on and on about how he was going to die protecting her yet here he was almost killed off hours later. He failed to even practice what he preached, and now he felt far too disconcerted to look her in those soft-set eyes, which were now harsh with a demanding stare. "What are ya doin' here?" He asked sullenly as his gaze didn't meet her questioning eyes this time.

"What does it look like?" Levy question erupted from her drained body a bit harsher than she meant it to, but she was still worked up from their time spent earlier that night where his blood had stained everything on her. "I'm making sure you're okay," Levy clarified with a shaking voice; it seemed that the harder she tried to keep steady and strong it only made her come off with a weak tremble. Being brave in this situation only amplified her obvious fear, and so she bit down on the inside of her cheeks and kept her glare harsh enough for the hope it could form some sort of illusion where she appeared to not be too emotionally distressed over he man's health.

"I'm better than ever, Lev." Gajeel started indifferently. "Ya shouldn't have to be here."

"But you're hurt," Levy hysterically disagreed.

"I'm fine," Gajeel's tone of voice sounded more like a warning than an actual reassurance. "Stop worrying about me, Levy," Gajeel practically ordered, and his face hardened into a deathly glare that wasn't offering any kind of bickering. "If you know what's best for ya you'd stop caring so damn much about me. Worrying about me all the time ain't gonna do ya any good, not when shit is only gonna get worse."

Levy's eyes widened then, and never had she seen Gajeel so... defeated. It wasn't in his character; Gajeel never backed down from anything, he was so stubborn and so willing to fight and as shameless and careless as it was Levy found it truly admirable. Surely deep down Gajeel was looking out for her— that's how her logical side had interpreted the man's rude order —but Levy was far too emotional to try to justify his stinging words. She snapped her face away from Gajeel and sent her resentful stare meant for him towards the hospital bedding instead. She wanted to think clearly at this point, she wanted to make things right, but something was boiling deep in her chest with a heated emotion she couldn't comprehend. "You're so stupid!" She screamed out then, and she got right into his face where she could be eye to eye with his daring scowl. "I don't care what you think, you're obviously not okay! Are you insane?! Do you have any idea how close you were to dying last night? And it's all because you were too stubborn to see a doctor! I know this isn't about me right now but you have no idea what I had to go through just to keep you alive! Do you know how worried I was? I thought I was going to lose you!"

Gajeel jumped at the small woman's huge uproar. He pressed himself away from Levy and sunk further into the hospital bed. She was really, really mad, more mad than he's ever seen her before. He was almost amazed at how shaken up he was from her yelling at him, and despite almost dying, his corrupt past and all of the mafia shit he got himself into on a daily basis, a pissed off Levy was the most terrifying thing he's ever encountered. "Levy..." Gajeel calms started as he attempted to soothe the burning heat he ignited, but he was stopped when her angered stare sharpened even more.

"Don't, Gajeel," Levy warned sternly, Leaving the man mid-sentence and a closed mouth that formed into a tight, grave line. "If you don't want me to be here then fine," she snapped while rising to her feet. "I can't promise that I'll stop worrying about you..." she admitted with a bitter mutter under her breath, and her shoulders slumped as she said so. "Other than that, I'll do what you want, but please..." Levy turned to him with teary eyes, "please get better," she pleaded as she lowered her head down. Gajeel could detect the heavy pain in her voice, and something broke in his chest hearing her sound so broken, especially because of him. She took a step forward and he immediately sprung into action, and he reached out towards her just in time to catch her thin wrist in his hand. She was taken by surprise but didn't look at him; she stayed in one place and felt his fingertips tighten around her. Gajeel on the other hand was breaking out into a sweat; reaching towards her so quickly evoked an adamant pain to short circuit throughout his whole body, and he was trembling due to how weak the agony was making him. Even with the fever breaking over his lifeless skin he refused to let her go.

"Wait," he started shortly and slightly out of breath from the sensation of the wind being knocked out of his chest. "Don't go," he started nervously, not sure of how to convince the small woman to stay. His grip on her was steady, and now something in him hurt more than the fresh wound beneath his ribs. "I want ya to stay Shorty. I want to be with you." He choked out, and he awaited for her to snap her wrist out of his hold, to storm out and leave him behind. He's never seen Levy so pissed off with him, this was even worse than when she found out about the mafia business. He wasn't trying to piss her off, he just hated worrying her. He didn't want to constantly keep her up at night with his bothersome problems. He never wanted to be the reason for her worrying and pain. That's what he was trying to say, but he wasn't good at expressing himself the way she was, he was never good with words. This was the best he could muster, all he had left to offer, and fortunately Levy turned around slowly with a saddened smile and softened brows. She pulled her wrist back away from his hold which had caused him to frown pitifully, but to his surprised her finger tips glided down his stretches out palm and intertwined with his fingers as she held his hand. Gajeel watched the way their hands fell into place perfectly, as if they were molded for one another, and he held her back tightly to never let it go.

"After everything we've been through, I'm not leaving your side." Levy's smile warmed up as she was beginning to feel better. "That's a promise," she giggled softly then as she wrapped her pinky around his. "I'll stay with you, but only if you let me," Levy added quickly, though she knew the answer and was playing fun with him. She was rewarded silence, and received her answer when the injured man went against his body's agonizing restraint, grabbed her by the hips and brought her small frame to him. Levy's eyes widened as she was pulled towards him, and before she could protest Gajeel had secured her into the side of his hip, with her head resting on his chest. "G-Gajeel," Levy stumbled with a flustered blush as she was tucked more towards him. "What are you doing?" She asked him as she felt his arms tighten around her.

"What does it look like?" he asked her. "I'm keeping ya by my side."

"Gajeel you're gonna get us in trouble." Levy reminded him sternly, but she couldn't bite back the big smile on her face.

"How would I? I'm sure they'd understand, especially after ya told the whole hospital ya were my fiancé." He asked with a snicker, and he smile when he felt Levy grow stiff in his arms.

"Wh-what are you talking about?!" Levy cried out, but Gajeel replied with soft and steady snoring. He was completely knocked out, and once again Levy was locked in one of his deadly holds. She sighed when he was out cold, but she melted into a blissful smile as she nuzzled her cheek into his chest. She was grateful that he was feeling better, and the severity of his wound had improved significantly. What was detrimental to Gajeel's health was the incredulous amount of blood he'd lost, but after a few days of rest he should be just fine. She truly hoped so; she placed a hand to his cheek and softly caressed it as she stared at him worryingly. "Oh Gajeel, what am I going to do with you?" She asked herself sadly and before she knew it she had fallen asleep as well.

•••

 **Gajeel's eyes pierced open as he** was jolting out of bed once more. It had become routinely of him to be an unpredictable ball of sheer panic whenever he woke up. He was reminded of his mishap and immediately grabbed his wound in agony, and then settle down into an embarrassed simmer as he swore under his breath. He had no idea what time it was now, but the sky past the blinds at least told him that he had awoken it the later hours of the night. Gajeel wasn't sure how many days had passed, but he knew it's been long enough and that he hadn't needed to rest any further. The first thing he noticed was the lack of Levy's company; her presence made the room three times brighter whenever she walked in, and her joyous laughter made the colors in his dull brighten with vibrance. Now he was back to his usual lonesome, and the man had awoken to an empty room that made him feel bitter and sullen. He gritted his teeth when he swung his legs over the bed, and despite how carefully he tried to maneuver and avoid elongating his pain, he still cringed in severe discomfort. It didn't help that the night of his incident he had been handed to him a brutal beating, damn rookies never fought fairly, and sure he defeated them but it didn't change the fact that he was out numbered and took serious damage. He was wrapped in bandages head to toe, and just reliving the fight in his head made him begin seething. Gajeel forced himself to stand up and waved off the nausea that weighed his body down like gravity. The gray tiles beneath his bare feet were frozen and was in sharp contrast to how his body was over heated and breaking out in a sweat. This was terribly pathetic to him, and he couldn't stand feeling so off balance and vulnerable, especially in a time as crucial as this.

He'd never handled a stab wound so poorly, but he tried to keep in mind that this weren't some pocket-knife wound. He remembered the way the large, thick blade had sliced through him like butter, he recalled the way the blood erupted from his throat and splattered out of him violently, and how the sickly, sinister man responsible for Gajeel's misfortune stared into his eyes. The opponent flashed his an unsettling wide smile, the blood pouring out the corners of his mouth thanks to the damage Gajeel had caused, and now returning the favor he snickered as he twisted the vertical base horizontally to worsen the damage of the wound. Perhaps it wouldn't have been so bad if Gajeel didn't wait hours to seek medical attention. He was on the brink of passing out before he called Levy, and now he felt a bit reckless and regretful for trying to hold onto his pride for so long. He wasn't sure if he'd be followed after escaping the warehouse where he was set up and ambushed, and he couldn't risk being seen interacting with anyone. He couldn't call the police, or Lily, definitely not Makarov. The truth behind it was that if he were to be killed off that night, he wanted to see her one last time. If anything he desperately needed to apologize for all of his fuck ups that he did, but he never got to it. He passed out before he had the chance.

With a tight jaw and tense muscles, Gajeel shook his head roughly and scraped the bitter thoughts under the rug of his guilty conscious and proceeded with his escape; he couldn't remain in this hospital and waste his time any further. There was business to take care of outside the small room, and he had Levy's needs to consider more than his own, she needed him more than anything now. He couldn't believe he allowed himself to be so weak, and now his mind was forming a well calculated plan as to how he was going to murder every scum bag that had witnessed his defeat, no one was going to live with that knowledge, and he wasn't going to stop until every twisted smile was wiped clean off of Earthland for good—

A blunt object knocked the side of Gajeel's head and immediately he braced and defended himself, his arm reeled back and his fist tightened as he was ready to swing with all his strength, but he stopped short when he saw someone he hadn't seen in ages. A stern, disapproving look was simmering in his direction, it was so cold it chilled his bones, and it took a lot to make Gajeel uncomfortable. For the longest he believed there were only two people he'd fall to his knees for if he'd experience their upmost wrath, which was Metalicana and the Master himself, no one else. However, over the years he was starting to realize there were other things to fear even thought they weren't as drastic. After that blow up the day before, Levy was starting to work her way up on that short list. The damn old hag was back at it again, it was hard not to recognize her, those dark red eyes were fierce and unforgettable, and her ridiculous bright pink hair made her stand out for miles. Gajeel's alarmed mind calmed down and returned back to reality, and he bared down his teeth when the scorching pain in his side was back with a rough vengeance.

"And to think I was here to administer your pain medicine," the old woman started with tick under her breath. "Tch, what a surprise that we have Redfox getting himself into more trouble. What do you think you're doing?" The woman rolled the magazine in her hand tighter, the weapon she had used to smacked against his head for escaping.

"Porlyusica," Gajeel greeted poorly with a nasty sneer. "Surprised ya ain't dead yet."

"I could say the same for you," she said with a scowl that matched Gajeel's in terms of uninviting; he noticed that her skin was more dull than usual, and the old woman's creases and wrinkles had deepened as if she were aging even faster now. Working as the head nurse at the biggest hospital in central Magnolia could age anyone; although she had seen it all, he could only imagine the shit she had to deal with on a daily basis. She made a disappointed grunt, "I tried to let ya die off but the nurses didn't have the heart to let me do so. Damn amateurs don't know a thing about the person they're dealing with." The head nurse made a repulsive scowl as she just thought about it, but Gajeel knew not to take it too seriously. The old hag had a heart of gold underneath her years of bitter sulking, but Gajeel knew better than anyone the woman's intentions were pure. He liked that he could give her a hard time and that she would think nothing of it, in other words he didn't mind her company but would never admit. However, this was the wrong time and place and she was definitely the last person he needed to see right now. His chances of escaping were looking extra slim now, and as long as the old woman and his wound still existed, there wasn't a chance in Hell he was getting out of here any time soon.

"I don't need yer help," Gajeel rejected the old woman's work, and even if he desperately wanted the relief that came from the syringes she carried on her tray, his pride wouldn't let her succeed with her job. "I needa get outta here, and I shouldn't explain to ya any further. Ain't ya damn business."

"Hmph, after Makarov taking you under his wing, you'd think he'd of taught you some manners by now, or at least some common sense," Porlyusica started indifferently. "It wouldn't be the first time you've done something as careless as discharge yourself without my permission, you can barely stand up and here you are attempting to walk out the damn place," she snorted at the thought of it all. "Damn brat, if you're not going to worry about your health for yourself, at least do it for the girl," she suggested, and just as she expected the figure limping away behind her shoulder had ceased. Typical, she huffed, and as stubborn as the man was she still knew how to crack into him fairly easily. "Hmm seemed to have gotten your attention, you think I didn't find the two of you sharing your hospital bed when you believed no one was around?" She glared when Gajeel turned around to her with the most stomach-churning stare he could send in her direction. The death stare didn't have the same effect on the wise woman, and with the many years of being a doctor under her belt and her adventurous past fighting side by side with the master himself had caused her to see far too much in her days. Gajeel was the least of her worries, and she saw the large, threatening man as nothing more than a silly child who still needed some growing up to do.

"Whaddya know?" Gajeel started irritably. "Ya wouldn't understand." The stubborn side of him wanted to return all the attitude she was sending him, but then she mentioned Levy and he couldn't help but back down as uncertainty for her whereabouts weighed down his shoulders heavily. He pushed aside his tough act and felt himself become soft again, and desperately he needed to make sure she was okay; flashbacks of his own misfortunes and Mira revealing the fresh bullet wound on her chest made his mind spill into a frantic mess of worse case scenarios. "Where is she?" He asked with a noticeably worried shift in his tone.

The woman's dark eyes narrowed, "I'm not tellin' you a damn thing until you get back in bed. I can't believe all these years have passed and I still have to lecture you like a child—,"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm goin'," Gajeel grumbled bitterly as he passed her and refused to listen to anymore of her nagging. He growled as he slammed back onto his bed, only to hiss in pain as the stitches on his torso reminded him that he wasn't yet healed. He watched as Porlyusica did her work swift and smoothly, as if second nature. He tried to not show he was in pain, and for the most part Gajeel did an excellent job at hiding his emotions, but it was the sweat on his hairline and his gritted teeth that helped give away he was at least the slightest bit uncomfortable.

"What the Hell did you get stabbed with? How many times do I have to stitch your careless self up?" Porlyusica's tone of voice was always demanding and judgmental when it came to speaking to Gajeel. It was just the nature of their language. She kept her face stoic and unreadable, but her eyes darkened at the six inch wound that covered the right side of Gajeel's torso, right beneath his ribs. Whatever the weapon was, it went all the way through him, and on his back was another stinging stretch of stitches. It's one of the worst blunt wounds she'd ever seen, even before she dropped her doctoral position and returned to nursing after her age had rendered her career. She'd be lying if she wasn't distraught when she found out the owner of the wound was Gajeel, someone she'd known since he was seventeen.

Gajeel didn't want to talk about it. "All ya gotta know is that it ain't happenin' again!" He was growing irritable now, and when the old woman disposed of the needle and her gloves, Gajeel clicked his tongue. "So, gonna answer my question or what, old hag?"

"I sent the girl home," she replied with a monotone voice that gave no trace of emotion; Gajeel wouldn't know where to begin on how that woman was feeling. "She hardly gotten any sleep, and there's no use missin' anymore rest. Yer not gonna die or anything, it's just a stab wound," she waved it off, though she'd be lying if she said it was anything but serious. It wasn't every day that a patient of her's gets impaled by such an enormous and thick blade; she was used to patching up the typical outcomes of street fights which resulted in shanks from pocket knives and handheld weapons, but this injury was just absurd. When the word of someone being injured by a sword of all things was going around the rumor mill of the hospital, she was almost not surprised to find that it was Gajeel. The brat did an excellent job in finding the most ridiculous ways to get himself hurt. The woman kept a cold demeanor, but deep down she was happy to see he was okay, and she did everything she possibly could to help him. "What the Hell did ya do?" She asked sternly.

"What are ya goin' on about now?" Gajeel barked.

"The girl," Porlyusica started. "She seems nice enough, a brat like the rest of ya but extra polite, couldn't get the damn thing to stop apologizing and gettin' all red and embarrassed in my damn hospital wing. What do you think yer doing, toying around with the girl's heart like that? You should learn to take others more seriously."

"I ain't toying around nobody," Gajeel exclaimed defensively, and he blushed and turned away when the old woman sent him a sneer rather than a smile. "I ain't in the mood for yer jokes, old hag."

"Don't flatter yerself, I'd never waste my time entertaining you." She crosses her arms then, "I just find it a bit amusing that the notoriously evil Redfox himself has fallen so hard, and for her all of people. Didn't picture her to be your type." She had her fun when the man couldn't even look her in the eye, and she believed he'd been picked on enough, if she continued steam would blow out of his ears from how red he was turning. "Yer business doesn't interest me, I just found it funny."

"It ain't funny, damnit!" Gajeel started. "It ain't even like that, it's—!" Gajeel stopped himself as he thought about it, about Levy, and now he felt something drop in his stomach— probably pieces of his heart that were barely holding together as a whole. He had no idea where they stood in their relationship, or friendship, whatever this thing was. He had no fucking idea, but all he could think about how right it felt, and that whenever Levy was with him he could actually calm down, and whatever it was he didn't want it to end. "I don't even know what it is," he started sullenly, and his demeanor deepened into a serious and saddened state that she was expecting.

Porlyusica's nose wrinkled as she looked down on him, "with the way yer sulking I would assume yer injuries are the least of yer worries," she scoffed, in a teasingly tone that was different than all the other times— which was almost all the time —that she taunted Gajeel.

"Damnit, hag, just finish already!" Gajeel yelled out, and he gritted his teeth as he felt stupid for showing so much emotion in front of her to begin with. Levy was a touchy subject, and for once the old woman pitied the man. It's been years since she'd seen him and it's as if nothings changed. He was stronger now, his jaw sharper and he held a more mature stance to himself, like the boy finally learned how to properly act in public. It was unsettling how clear it was in his eyes that something was eating away at him, like he was on the brink of insanity, and that enraged look he used to carry was now replaced with bitter resentment and darkness. Porlyusica was rough on the outside, but she wasn't incapable of being loving, though it weren't really her personality to appear so sappy and emotional in front of others. She perked up and did the best she could to comfort the man who was so clearly distraught, and without looking at him she collected her things. "I called up the girl and told her you were doing fine. I'm sure she'll be here shortly."

Gajeel kept his eyes to the ceiling as he finally caved in and returned to lying down. Now with the weight of all the pain lifting off his shoulders, he didn't feel like he was hit by a damn bus anymore. The concern for Levy has numbed out the discomfort left from being jumped by four different opponents and then stabbed by another, and although it had been only a day, it was crucial time horridly wasted. He tried to push all of that aside and accept the relief of knowing Levy was safe, and eventually she'd be there soon.

"And don't be so dramatic, you're not dying, I'll kick you out of here soon." Porlyusica ended, and that was her goodbye before disappearing behind the door.

"Pfft," he replied with a indifferent shake of his head, but deep down he was grateful.

•••

 **Levy was ecstatic to find** out there were plans awaiting her that evening, but she couldn't help but feel as though she was dragging herself around to attend them. She wanted to spend time with Cana and Lucy more than anything, but after all the tremendous events of the past week and a half— the highlights were her house being invaded and Gajeel nearly dying before her very eyes —Levy found it challenging to let loose and wind down for a bit given every nerve in her was on high alert. She was losing sleep and felt the stress collecting in her body and tensing her muscles, and every moment she tried to ease her panic but was left pacing back and forth and only making matters worse. A hot bath was meant to ease these problems but all it did was soften her skin and wet her hair, and she left the bathroom feeling even more distressed than when she first undressed herself. She sighed as she lied down on her bed, now half ready minus her outfit. She wasn't trying much; a coat of mascara lengthened her eyelashes and a sheer chapstick gave little color to her lips that were swollen from her constant biting. She wanted more than anything to relax, and before she realized her fingertips were tracing over her body, across her nipples and down her torso past her belly button. She blushed softly at how embarrassing this whole ordeal was, and if there was anything that made her feel more relieved and stress free, it was releasing her tension another way. She had to leave Gajeel behind to rest up, he was too prideful and reckless with her and refused to look weak, so accompanying him at the hospital would be a poor choice for the both of them. She had to lecture him later for being so reckless, but for now it would be beneficial to let him sleep in and take it easy without her. However, that was days ago, and now she was alone with herself and craving, and as she pondered her predicament her mind wandered to the bottom drawer of her wardrobe, behind her lace belongings where an intended joke of a gift was hidden in the corner.

Levy wrinkled her nose and shook her head no shortly, she couldn't believe she was doing this, but it only took moments for her to cross the plush rug and drop to a squat where she retrieved the panties with a hidden toy in it. She briefly read the instructions on the back, including the different rhythms of vibrations and the settings that ranged between one and ten. She cringed at the embarrassing message on the back, meant to entice and allure consumers, but came off as cheesy and off putting. Despite her judgmental first impression, she slipped the panties she'd already washed— she'd never admit it was just in case she ever needed them —out of the packaging and carefully worked on dislodging the discreet remote from the plastic frame. Levy analyzed the buttons and quickly learned how to work the panties, but was stopped abruptly when the door to her bedroom was knocked on rapidly.

She jumped then and quickly tossed the remote in her purse and launched herself towards her laundry basket. "J-just a second!"

"Don't worry blue, take your time," Cana called out from the other side. She let herself in anyway, just in time to find Levy tugging on a rather sexy night time dress. The wine color looked wondrous on her fair skin, the long sleeves stopped at Golden accessories like her charm bracelets and thin watch; the scoop neck made an enticing V towards her belly button but didn't exactly reach it, and the hem of the skirt stopped dangerously high, barely covering her behind but just enough to keep herself decent. A pair of nude pumps completely the look, and to keep herself looking busy and inauspicious, Levy finished off in front of Cana by clamping around her neck a dressy yet casual thin golden chain going down her exposed chest, with a small ring at the end of the necklace for a tasteful accessory. Cana smiled brightly at her best friend, "damn Levy, you sure know how to dress up!"

"Y'think so?" Levy asked, grateful for the compliment. When she noted the trendy and revealing black jumpsuit and stilettos Cana was wearing, she felt a little bit overdressed, but if her friend approved of it, she couldn't be too ridiculous like she believed.

"Yeah, you look great! The dark red really suits you well." Cana chirped. "Anyway, enough primping, we have a club to hit up!"

"W-wait, r-right now?" Levy asked, remembering the panties she still had on. "I thought you said we had time!"

"Huh? What else do you have left to do? You look great already!" Cana gleamed as she grabbed Levy by the wrist and dragged her out towards the hallway. "The cab got here minutes ago and Lucy's already wait, let's get a move on!"

"C-Cana!" Levy cried, but she knew there was no arguing and accepted defeat. The toy was slim and surprisingly comfortable, she'd almost forgotten it was there. As long as she didn't mess with it she was sure she'd be okay, it's not like anyone was going to see it. She shook away the blush of her face the best she could and rugged down the short hem of her skirt; maybe this risky outfit was a bad idea after all. She pushed the bitter thoughts aside and placed a smile on her face, and allowed herself to enjoy the night.

•••

 **Gajeel was sent to the club to** keep an eye out on Mirajane; rumors of a second attempt at assassinating the barmaid had made the hairs stand on the back of Makarov's neck. Despite being hospitalized a few days prior, both Gajeel and Makarov agreed it would be an easy enough job, for the past nights watching over Mira's shift had been uneventful and boring. It was an easy job to remain at the off-limits upper floor of Fairy Tail as well, which gave him the full view of the dance floor, the entrance, the lounging area and most importantly it was secured right above the bar where the woman spent majority of her shift. He could see Mira talking it up with her regulars, and even a few of them he recognized from the station. That was all there was to it, and as long as Laxus was working over time it seemed Gajeel would be getting used to this assignment.

He didn't particularly have issues with the demon, but he mostly missed being in charge of Levy. The idea sent a bitter taste in his mouth and he wondered if he'd failed her so badly that Makarov felt he wasn't fit protecting her. The wound on his torso had healed eventually but it remained as an embarrassing reminder. The job was boring, but to his surprise things picked up when he scanned the crowd and caught sight of a familiar blonde, and to his better knowledge could only mean a certain bluenette had to be following close behind. He wasn't mistaken, he chuckled at the sight of the young girl looking so out of her element, squeezing past party go-ers and trying to catch up with her friends. Reading and studying were more her thing, but he was glad the girl was getting out the house and letting loose, the events of this week could be unhealthy if she allowed herself to worry of them too much. As he watched Levy descend towards the bar, he couldn't help but notice how good she looked dressed up. He hadn't spoken to her since that night she visited in the hospital after Porlyusica's call, and he felt obligated to say something to her, anything. Still slightly injured as Makarov called it, Lily was stationed as back up on the other side of the upper level, he'd be able to look out for him he was sure. Gajeel abandoned his post and hunted down his target.

A warm Friday night made the club obnoxiously crowded, it took everything to part through the half drunken, half drugged crowd that threw themselves at him, and throughout the countless bodies he followed bright blue hair hoping she'd step out into an opening. Unfortunately someone had bumped into her roughly and she stumbled, and instinctively her name ripped out of her mouth with more concern than he intended it to carry, but his cry out was lost in the heavy music. A few items dropped from her bag and she quickly scurried to pick them up, however as her mind wandered and she attempted to catch up with her friends she did a poor job at collecting every item. Gajeel sighed at how clumsy she was, and he ticked under his breath at the hypocrisy of how Levy constantly lectured him on being careless.

He dipped down and retrieved what she'd dropped, which happened to be a soft cloth that he assumed were for her reading glasses. He found that returning this could be a decent way to perk up conversation after not seeing her for so long, and he felt his heart already begin to warm up just thinking about her voice. To his surprise he found something else that had fallen, and in his hand was a small black remote with three different buttons. The sleek black device made his eyebrows furrow; it clearly wasn't for her car, it didn't seem to be a charger of any sort, and there wasn't really anything that gave away what it was. Just barely he could make his eyes read the print on the back of the device, and he facepalmed then and there, completely bewildered that the bookworm would carry this thing around in her purse. If it really was what he thought it was, he was almost humored. It would be something nice to pick on her about, he was excited to see the look on her face, and turning slightly he caught her just in time hopping onto a lit up bar stool just in front of Mira. Two birds with one stone.

Gajeel held the cleaning cloth and device in his hand as he made his way towards he group of girls. Levy remained on the left side with her back to him, turned towards Cana who sat in the middle. The bar maid's mood lightened up considerably now that her friends were there, and Gajeel watched from afar at their interactions, more specifically at the way Levy smiled breezily at her friends. His breath hitches watching her and he wished he could go up to her on his own, but apart from Mira the other two girls had no idea of their business together, and the one in the middle came off as protective and would make speaking to Levy privately a bit more difficult. He pondered on how he was going to get her alone, if there were only a way he could make her leave her friends for a moment. He stared down at the device in his hand and out of curiosity he clicked the button to turn it on. No one in there right mind would wear something like that out in public, perhaps she misplaced it and it landed in her bag, but Gajeel's benefit of the doubt for the woman went down the drained when Levy noticeably leaped in her chair.

"Ya gotta be kidding me, Shorty," Gajeel face palmed and placed the device in his pocket. To his pleasant surprise, Levy's shoulders jolted as something rushed through her, and her legs trembled just the slightest and he thought he'd lose his jaw from how far it dropped open. There was no way, she wasn't actually wearing the damn thing, was she? He asked himself, and it took everything in him not to chuckle; her friends reaction were the opposite as they clearly looked concerned for her weird behavior, and from there he could see her frantically waving her hands as she reassured to them nothing was the matter. She was interrupted when his sadistic side got the best of him and quickly clicked the next button up, which he assumed increased the power of the toy. As expected Levy jolted upright and immediately tightened her crossed legs, her shoulders hunched forward and now Mira was quickly fixing her a drink to calm her down some. He watched with an evil grin as Levy refused the offer and launched off the stool, and never had he seen the officer run so quickly in heels. He followed her towards the private lounge rooms which were unsupervised, and she slammed the door behind her.

Levy secluded herself in a small lounge that contained a ledge for bar drinks and a velvet couch that took up majority of the room. The dimmest of lights illuminated her small space, and she strained her eyes to find what she was looking for. Given these rooms were not in use anymore and off limits, she struggled to find the remote that would end her embarrassing problem. Now in private Levy immediately rummaged through her purse to find the source of her torment. Receipts and hair ties welcomed her devastation, and as she practically tore the purse apart, the darn thing had to be in there somewhere! Levy almost shrieked when a rapid set of knocks shook the wooden door, and Levy was shocked to hear once again another person was walking in on her at the worst of times. "S-sorry, this room is taken!" Levy cried out, but was taken aback when she found Gajeel in the doorway. Her body was already breaking out into a heated rush, and now seeing the main supplier of her fantasies she felt as though she'd be done for right then and there. His dark suit and complimentary tie made Levy's heart throb, his tied back hair, glowing eyes and half-smile made something deeper in her ache. She zipped her purse closed and forced her self to stand up straight, she crossed her legs to stop herself from bouncing around and trembling, and with all the strength in her she forced herself to come off as normal and not distressed.

Gajeel smiled at the girl who was pushed into the corner, trying her best not to pant and keeping herself still as she tried her best to not be suspicious. The cloth in his pocket had soon been forgotten, and he advanced towards her.

 **[XXX]**

"G-Gajeel!" She exclaimed with shock as her now heated predicament turned one thousand times hotter. "What on Earthland are you doing here? Y-you're doing better already, e-enough to be at the club, having a good time, doing what ya do, I-I'm right there with ya, haahaha—," Levy caught herself on the side table as the vibrations kept going at a steady and dangerous pace. She felt mortified when she heard what she was saying; despite the difficulties she knew she had to play it off and let him have no idea what she going through. She couldn't imagine how much he'd pick on her if he found out, and so she needed to either trash the panties or find the remote before it was too late, but first off she needed to get away from Gajeel. "H-how have you been?!" She nearly shrieked out as it took everything in her not to squeeze her legs shut and rub her thighs together.

"I'm doin' better, Shorty. Fine, actually, but yer not lookin' too good yerself. I mean, ya look great..." Gajeel trailed off as his eyes took in all of the skin she proudly showed off. Her thick thighs were barely contained under her risky dress, and her deep neckline really made his eyes hesitate moving past, he was absolutely loving what he saw, but what made things better was the way her hair was becoming a mess and the sweat trickling down her temple. She was breathing heavy and her chest and face were flushed from the pleasure she was experiencing. Gajeel closed the distance between the two of them and and reached a hand under her chin to bring her face up to look at his. "Ya sure ya feelin' okay?"

"I-I'm fine, Gajeel, I just— aahhn!" She couldn't hold back the large moan as she nearly crumpled, her knees buckled as she lowered herself, and she couldn't believe that somehow the intensity of the vibrations increased right then and there. Gajeel smiled mischievously, and he kept the toy in his hand and pressed the button once more, and now on the fourth setting Levy was absolutely hanging on the hinges trying her best not to fall apart. She remembered Gajeel was still standing in front of her and tried to think up of an excuse. "M-my stomachs— ahhh —hurting a little, th-that's all, I—," she moaned desperately, and bit sharply on her lip to keep her cries contained.

"Yer in pain, huh? That's weird, because to me it sounds like yer enjoying yerself a little..." his stare darkened and his eyes glowed Scarlett when Levy's face snapped towards him with a mortified expression. "It makes me almost believe that this lil remote I have here is doin' somethin' after all," he started, and he held up the device right in front of Levy's face to see. Her eyes widened when he had it all along, and she tried to figure out how he could have gotten his hands on it. She quickly recalled her bag spilling out on the dance floor, and her face heated just thinking about what Gajeel must of thought of her.

"Wh-where did you—?!" Levy shrieked but leaned against the wall as she was almost speechless. She was trembling now and gritting her teeth, and Gajeel had found his new favorite thing: seeing Levy so worked up she was almost incapable of forming complete sentences.

"Ya dropped it and yer lucky I had the decency to pick it up. It would be dangerous if it were to fall in the hands of someone with no mercy..." he started, and he tauntingly held it up as he analyzed the different options.

"How do you even know what it is?" Levy started between pants. She pressed herself against the wall and turned her face away from him so couldn't catch the way her mouth dropped open in a moan. "It's supposed to be discreet."

"I recognized it from yer bedroom the night those guys broke in yer home," Gajeel began, speaking as if this were a normal conversation and Levy wasn't in the corner and hanging of the hinges of her sanity. "My phone fell and I noticed the box under your bed when I went to grab it." He clicked another button on the device for the Hell of it, meaning Levy was now on the fifth setting. "Knew it was cheap quality to begin with, and given ya haven't came yet I'm sure it ain't worth the money," he explained, only to turn around to see Levy leaned against the wall, eyes screwed shut and hand balling her skirt up. She shrieked then and her knees buckled, and Gajeel licked his bottom lip at the sight he was seeing. "I guess I spoke too soon. You dirty girl, don't tell me yer having an orgasm here of all places." He snickered at the sight and tossed the remote in the air and caught it repeatedly, silently telling her he wasn't giving it back soon. "What am I gonna do with ya?"

"Gajeel!" She cried out as the vibrations were too much for her to handle. She was about to fall over when he caught her, and the woman melted like putty in his steady arms. "Hmph, maybe it isn't such cheap quality after all," he snickered, and horrible ideas sparked in his mind when he watched her eyes flutter. "Let's see what else this device can do, hmm?"

"G-Gajeel, were in public!" Levy panicked, not exactly saying no to the idea.

"The door is locked and the music drowns any noise out," he reminded. "And after seeing that..." his eyes trailed to her skirt as he referred to her release, "I wanna see what will happen next. But first let's see what a mess you made." Gajeel took Levy by surprise and pushed her over the arm rest of the black, velvet couch. Levy squealed as he pinned her down and pushed aside the lace material, and even then he could feel the vibrations on his own finger tips. As expected she was wet and awaiting him, and he loved the way the stimulation had left her rosebud and lips reddened like the blush scattering over her body. He made her predicament worst by pushing the toy harsher against her, and the bluenette's back arched as her head slung backwards. A beautiful scream escaped her and simmered into a low moan when he grabbed a fistful or her hair. "So, Levy, how many setting does your little toy have? Is this the highest one?"

Levy bit down on her lip as she grew embarrassed, but her mouth parted to release another elongated moan when she felt a finger enter her wet core in a result of her dodging the question. "Don't make me ask again, if I find out myself..." Gajeel ordered with a rough growl, the usual dominant side of him that she was familiar with during sex was coming to the surface.

"Ten!" Levy cried out.

His mouth twisted into a sinister grin. "Well ain't that unfortunate. Yer only half way there and yer already—," Gajeel was interrupted when another orgasm racked through her, and all it took was a steady pump of his fingers for a few short moments. Levy's thighs trembled and she felt herself dripping all over him; despite how embarrassed she was about the mess, she thought nothing of it as she relished the intense feeling she was experiencing. Gajeel was loving every moment, and incapable of controlling himself he began to release his erection. The sound of him unfastening his belt and tugging down his pants was like music to her ears. Levy crashes from her high and slumped forward on the couch, but she didn't fall heavenly like she usually did after she was relieved; the toy mercilessly continued on as if nothing happened, and just as she finished she was forced back into a third round. "Levy I'm guessin' ya ain't used a toy before, huh?" He asked her, seeing from how poorly she was handling such a low stimulation, it only made him wonder what a real device would do to her.

She shook her head no and didn't speak to him.

"Hmm," Gajeel replied with no warning of his next move, and now she was screaming again when he easily slid inside of her slowly. She welcomed him, only to clench around him tightly, and now she was arched her back up again.

"Oh Gajeel!" She cried out, and her whole body trembled as she accommodated his length.

"Heh, what's the matter Shorty? I'm guessin' after all that yer pretty sensitive, right?" He asked, pulling aside her panties slightly to give himself access, and he began pumping in and out of her. He missed the feeling, and he loved hearing her lose control and she cried and moaned repeatedly. Despite the strain on his body, he couldn't pass up this moment, and seeing Levy so blissful was worth the stinging coming from his injury. His questions remained unanswered, and gradually he picked up the pace. "Huh, so yer speechless now, are ya?" He asked her as he smacked her ass and she barely responded apart from a loud cry, she was too lost in a daze as she tried to comprehend the stimulation.

She was torn between crying over how amazing it felt to have him as deep as he could go inside of her, or the constant vibrating on her most sensitive bundle of nerves. She noted that Gajeel wasn't even thrusting a fraction of his usual speed, he slowly pulled out only to deeply push back in, and with every thrust she was violently pushed towards another earthland-shattering orgasm. Her eyes were fluttering and she didn't know how long she could go under this immense pleasure, but out of everything she desperately wanted him to continue. Her eyes widened when the remote came to her face, and the man behind her stopped.

A low chuckled rose out of him. "Now I got yer attention. Let's see... how many was there? Ten?"

"Gajeel, it's so much, I—!" Levy cried out, but watched in horror as his thumb remained on the button and how the device between her legs buzzed out of control as the vibrations turned twice as strong. He passed he next setting and brought the device straight to ten, and her mouth dropped open as she struggled to even process the intense feeling, and a hand wrapped around her neck and brought her towards him. "I told ya that day in the gym I'd teach ya a lesson, Levy," he growled, and the moment his lips met her neck she was done for. She shrilled as she came everywhere, and now that the device was at its fullest max and Gajeel was thrusting in and out of her with everything he had, she was seeing stars. Feeling her clench around him so tightly made things difficult on his end as well, and Gajeel buried his face into her neck as she surprisingly quickly orgasmed again. Soon enough the sympathy of moans and grunts came to a halt and all that could be heard was the muffled sound of music coming from the main room. Gajeel couldn't help but chuckle as he brought the device to an end, and the both of them collapsed onto the couch.

"Good Gods, Lev, how many times did you cum?" Gajeel asked as he smiled against her skin, and Levy sighed with relief when the vibrations came to a halt. "I lost count," she replied with disbelief, "but I don't think I've ever came so many times."

His lust-glowing eyes met her golden gaze and his lips curled into a smile. "We'll change that."

"I don't think that's possible," Levy replied with a tired smile, and as the two of them stood up her knees trembled once again. It didn't help that her legs were weak and she was towering in tall heels. Gajeel caught her and she blushed vividly, "s-sorry, it was a little intense," she apologized, but she was met with a soft and understanding smile.

 **[XXX]**

"Didn't push ya too far did I?" Gajeel asked worriedly, even though Levy never exactly told him to stop.

"No, no, it was good!" Levy cleared up the misunderstanding immediately.

He smile showed off perfect teeth, "I know, I just wanted ya to admit it out loud that ya loved it." His grin widened when her lips formed a flustered pout and her soft gaze simmered into an angry look. She cried out when he roughly smack her ass and returned his hand for a second time to squeeze it as well. "Who knew you were so dirty? Wearing that toy in public."

"It was an accident," Levy informed him. "I wasn't supposed to walk out the house with them, my friend Cana dragged me out before I could change."

"But what were ya doin' with them on in the first place, Shorty?" Gajeel asked with a flirtatious smile as his face leaned in closer towards hers. He snickered when she bit down on her lip and looked away embarrassedly. He couldn't tell if the glow on her face was from their recent activities or if she was just mortified. Whatever it was she was feeling, she had the cutest face on, and despite how adorable her found it, he didn't want her feeling bad about herself. "Don't gimme that pout, it's nothin' to be embarrassed about. I'm glad you had them on."

"Oh yeah?" Levy asked, and although she was still shy about it a little bit of the burning humiliation in her chest simmered down as his kind smile alleviated her worries.

"Yeah, we gotta have a good time and I got to see you enjoy yerself. That's what matters, that yer happy." He said as he fell backwards onto the couch and carried her with him. Levy landed on his lap, and as she straddled him their eyes were lost in one another's. The room had grown hot, and the two of them looked a mess, with Gajeel's bangs beginning to fall over his eyes and Levy's dress completely out of shape. His hands went back to her backside and he went in for a promising kiss that he deepened, and Levy loved the way his lips tasted, as if he'd been drinking something strong. She felt as if she were drunk on him, she felt light headed and her heart was fuzzy, heat wrapped all around her sweaty and flushed body, and she loved the way his hands felt roaming against her, feeling the bare skin revealed for him. When the two of them pulled apart they enjoyed the sound of one another's racing heartbeats as they calmed down and returned to a normal pace. Levy fiddled with one of the buttons on Gajeel's shirt that had came undone during their sex, and she smiled softly as she listened to his breathing slow down.

"I'm really glad you're okay," she confessed.

"Yeah?" He asked her, getting that familiar lump in his throat whenever she was rather loving towards him.

"Mmhm," she replied with a quick nod. "I was very worried for you," her eyebrows furrowed and she balled the fabric of his shirt in her hand. "I just couldn't help but feel like it was my fault, I shoulda got you to the hospital faster, I shoulda helped stopped the bleeding more, I—," Levy stopped when Gajeel grabbed her chin and turned it towards him; her words caught in her throat and she was left with parted lips and wide teary eyes. His look had saddened then, and he was serious now as he watched the way the worry flooded the beautiful honey of her eyes, his newly found favorite color.

"Nothing about that night was your fault, Levy." He promised her. "Anytime I get hurt, it's never yer fault."

"I know but," her lip quivered then and she looked down, and to stop that tremble Gajeel gently pressed his lips against her own. He held her tightly to him, and when their kiss came to an end he embraced her, pressing a hand to the back of her head and tucking her into his neck.

"Ya worry too damn much, Shorty," he said with a small grin. "I told ya if ya keep it up you'll worry herself to death."

"You're right, I'm a mess," Levy replied with a smile. "I'm sorry."

"And then ya apologize for it, good Gods," Gajeel started, and he released the girl from the hug and stared at her for a moment. He took in her golden eyes, flushed cheeks and plump lips swollen from all the lip biting and kissing; she was absolutely beautiful, and almost just almost in that moment it felt as if she was his. He felt a bit upset then, they weren't anything and he knew that, and for a moment he pretended they were. He pretended that his feelings were mutual, and that they were established, that Ivan didn't exist, and that there was a shining hopeful future with her by his side. As possible as these things were, with the mafia and the rising death count and the horrific events and threats happening between them, the thought of a normally lived life with Levy felt like an unrealistic pipe dream. It left a hole in his chest he knew he'd never fill, and sullenly he scooted away from underneath her. He had a job to do, and although his mind should have been set on protecting Mira, all he could think about was how soon he could see Levy again.

"If Lily finds out I'm off duty I'll never get the damn man to stop nagging," Gajeel started.

"Oh, you're working?" Levy asked surprised, and she took the hint and began adjusting her headband and her skirt that had rode up.

"Yeah. It's Mira. The two of us have been monitoring her for a week now, just in case anything funny happens. So far ain't shit happened." Gajeel adjusted his collar and slid on his belt, and the silence in the room was filled with the sound of the two of them hurrying to make themselves presentable again.

"Is she going to be okay?" Levy asked worried, and by the time he turned around she was already fixed up as if nothing intimate had ever happened.

"That's what we're making sure of," Gajeel answered shortly.

Levy grinned, "thank goodness." Her grin calmed down into a bashful smile, "Gajeel?" She felt her heartbeat speed up when the man turned to look at her. "I want to see you again, soon... I mean, you know, you've been in and out of the hospital and such, we haven't really seen each other, and yknow, just seems like it's been a while since we hung out and stuff! I mean, we can train or something— only if you want, I just, uhh..." steam exploded out of her as she began rambling, and she was grateful for Gajeel dipping down to kiss her before she could have a melt down. She stared up at him worryingly and he returned with a soft stare.

"I'll see you soon, that's a promise," he finished.

"Okay," Levy smiled warmly as she visibly relaxed. "I should probably get going too, Cana and Lucy are going to freak out if I'm gone any longer." Levy started as she smoothed her skirt and adjusted her breasts in her dangerously low neckline.

Gajeel nodded at that, "good idea." The two of them shared a smile and Levy hitched her purse over her shoulder, she was beginning to unlock the private lounge when she was stopped by the call of her name. "Levy," he started tenderly, and he exhaled the breath caught in his chest when their eyes met. "Be safe, will ya?"

"I'll be safe for you, but only if you stay safe for me!" She replied with a soft grin, and now Gajeel was gritting his teeth and repressing the urge to clench at his chest right over his heart. She was too damn cute and he was sure she'd be the end of him eventually. Levy understood that the two of them couldn't be together for too long at a time, so she crossed the distance between them and have him one final bear hug, nice and tight as she dug her face into his chest. "Thank you for returning what I dropped," she said with a wink as she fluttered the cloth in the air between her thumb and index finger, and she was smiling a mile a minute now. He shared the same smile with her, but Gajeel felt as if he was physically torn apart when Levy's arms left his torso and she gave one final smile flashed behind her shoulder before disappearing in the hallway. He found himself standing alone and grinning softly to himself, but it diminished into a favored memory as he returned to business and headed upstairs.

"S-sorry, I had a little emergency! Pretty gross, shouldn't go into details. Something I ate and bla-bla-bla, what did I miss?" Levy asked quickly as she hopped onto her barstool as if nothing happened. Before she'd made an impressive sprint to the private lounge, the clever girl had clasped her stomach with her hand and acted in agony, she blamed her odd behavior for a terribly uncomfortable stomach ache, and it was a gross enough story for the three girls not to question her any further.

"I'm glad you're feeling better Levy, it's nothing to be ashamed about," Mira started as she noticed how terribly the poor girl was blushing. Her hair was wild and overall she looked a bit roughed up; Mira concluded that she had to be embarrassed about her predicament. "I'll whip you up some Ginger ale, maybe you should lay low on drinking tonight."

"No, I'm fine, I'm fine!" Levy waved off any concern in the air. "Better in then out, am I right?" Levy's nervous laughter kicked in and the girls exchanged confused looks to one another. God, what was she saying?

"I sure hope so, you took more than a damn half hour. Lucy and I were about to go check up on you, but privacy is important and we know how you get," Cana said as she finished off another drink. She was a little buzzed by now, but Cana's drinking tolerance made Levy believe she weren't human at times, so she couldn't guesstimate how many drinks Cana could have had in the past forty minutes she was gone.

Lucy hooked an arm around Levy's and shot her a bright smile. "I'm sure hoping you're feeling better, because the nights just started! I already tipped the DJ, he's going to put on our favorite!"

"Really? That's awesome," Levy started, happy for the change in subject. She sipped her soft drink and sighed heavenly, the crisp liquid felt good going to down her throat, and the rough activities her and Gajeel had in the back left her dehydrated and light headed. This was exactly what she needed, and now after spending time with him and being surrounded by her favorite people, Levy felt the happiest she had in a while now. Despite the craziness of the whole month, things were finally looking up, and she was grateful to be alive. She was grateful for her friends, and most importantly, she was grateful for Gajeel's swift recovery and that he was out of the—

Levy's cheerful train of thought was crashed into. She screamed out when Mira hopped over the counter and as fast as lightning she pounced on her like a wild animal. The bluenette was completely off guard and hadn't the chance to react, her drink spilled out of her hand and crashed to the side, and Cana and Lucy were only inches away from retrieving their guns when to everyone's surprise the glass display of liquor bottles that was to the side of Levy was shattered. The gunshot crashed through the club and over the deafening music; at first Levy's instincts told her she was being attacked, but she refrained from lashing out on Mira when the barmaid pinned her down by her wrists. All Levy could see was the neon blue lights that lit up the bar, and even past the music she could hear the glass trickling behind Mira like rain. "Stay down!" Mira ordered her, and Levy looked up to see Cana and Lucy with their weapons aimed and ready, just in time for the next gun shot to be aimed at them. Levy squealed when Mira quickly grabbed her and pulled her out of the way; Levy's reflexes were rendered when Mira had placed all her weight on her.

"What's happening?" Levy asked when Mira rolled off of her, and she gulped when the chipper woman's demeanor hardened into ice. She was like a different person now, and she glared into the darkness of the closed off upper floor of the club, at something Levy couldn't see with her own eyes.

"They're back," Mira warned her, and she retrieved the gun from the calf of her leg, where it rested in a hidden strap underneath her red, ankle-length dress. Levy's mouth dropped open, and the only thing she could comprehend in that moment was that Mira was terrifying when she was angry. Cana and Lucy looked behind their shoulders to watch what Mira was doing, and when her gun was up and ready, her eyes narrowed into angered slits. "You guys listen to me closely, I'm the one they're after, and I'll handle it on my own. You guys get the rest of the customers to safety, I'll take care of this."

"Are you nuts?" Cana asked the woman from behind her shoulder. "Who knows how many of these assholes are out there. There's no way we're letting you do this on your own." Cana's stubbornness crumbled and her face hardened when she witnessed how determined Mira was, and she showed no evidence in her stare that she was willing to argue. It was so out of character, but Cana remembered the old Mira given she was the girl she grew up with. At one point she was one of the strongest the academy had to offer in her class, she knew she was capable, but still. None of them knew what they were up against, or who had shot the first bullets. Cana gulped, "What the Hell is going on here?" Cana asked Mira. "Why would anyone try to attack you of all people? Ya left the force ages ago."

"Guess dating Laxus comes at a price," Mira said with a playful wink, only to return to a deathly demeanor. "Still, I also thought they'd at least try to go after another officer to make their point!"

"Dating who?!" Cana and Lucy shrieked out simultaneously, only to be knocked out of the way by the next bullet aimed for Mira.

"Stop wasting time!" Mira ordered the completely dumbfounded girls, and the two women snapped out of it and shaped up immediately; everyone knew to take Mirajane seriously whenever she turned so furious. Now hidden behind the bar Mira turned to Levy, "for some reason the first bullet was aimed to you. Stick with me, it'll lower the chances of any customers getting hurt if their main targets stay in one spot. Cana, Lucy, alert the security of what's happening and try to protect the people, if we don't move fast the panic throughout the club will be chaotic and make things worse."

"Right," the two girls answered as they swiftly crossed the open path. Lucy headed straight for the terrified crowd all cramming towards the exit while Cana went full speed towards the security and the DJ. The music, unfortunately, had been left on full blast, given the DJ had immediately abandoned his station the moment he heard the gunfire. While Levy found it hard to concentrate with such a loud distraction, Mira had learned to eventually tune it out after so many years working the club. She stared at the barrel of her glistening gun, the red and golden scale-detailing that ran up the handle, her notorious weapon that she carried on her at all times. It was her lucky weapon after all, and if it saved her life the last time it would have to do so now, but now there was another concern. There was Levy, who was crouched behind the bar with her and staring at her with a hesitant look.

"Follow my lead," Mira ordered, and she did what Levy hoped she wouldn't, she abandoned their hiding spot and ran out into the open. Not sure as to where she was going with this, Levy gulped and followed after. She didn't know where he was at that point but she hoped more than anything that Gajeel would be okay, and as she dodged the scattering civilians who almost ran her over, she immediately prayed for his safety.

 **A/N:** First comes the lemon, then comes the action! Also, Mira's gun is themed after one of her demon modes. I'm so excited to write the next chapter, I've been waiting for it since I first started this story! Thank you for reading and as always I'll see you soon! Muah!

Please leave a review and let me know what you think!

Up next: The demand for Mira's blood has brought Fairy Tail under attack. A shoot out is the only possible answer, but why is Levy also being targeted? A strong-willed Gajeel is going to find out, but can Gajeel and Levy work together in this blood shed while keeping maintaining their secret? I'm


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** Hello loves! Thank you for being patient with me! Yes I am back from the dead. I went through a lot of technical difficulties this past month (ruined two phones and a laptop don't ask how that's another story lol), but luckily I have finally purchased a laptop. As always thank you for the lovely reviews, and I hope this chapter was worth the wait!

 **Chapter 12**

 **A few days before**

Gajeel felt as if someone had physically punched him in the chest. It hadn't really been because Levy didn't want to spend the evening with him-- of course that was part of it --but it mostly had to do with the way she said it, how her eyes narrowed and she looked terribly uncomfortable just from the idea of it. It was out of her character in Gajeel's eyes, and with her responding so visibly upset he immediately regretted asking her.

Levy's words had fallen between them like a dead weight cracking the floor from its impact; the damage rushed to the tips of his boots and he felt that if he moved even an inch that the boards beneath them would cave in and he'd fall under. His body stiffened up as he felt the Earth's gravity grow three times stronger, it weighed his head and shoulders down, and it took a bit more effort than usual to keep his head high.

He shrugged off the rejection and suppressed the way it made his heart sting a little— just a little. He shouldn't care that much, anyway; Levy had a busy life and he'd have to understand that. "There's always next time," he started positively in hopes that the optimistic words would lighten his clearly dreary mood and hide how he was really feeling. Levy's grim pout turned into a sad smile, with the corner of her lips barely tilted upwards for his sake. She nodded in agreement and spoke then, but the more she talked to him the sadder he became.

"Thank you for inviting me," she started, and although she clarified she had plans with the blonde, Gajeel wasn't buying it. He wasn't just strength and looks, he was clever; it took brains to be a double agent, and he could read people fairly easily. It was exceptionally hard to deceive him. Levy came with a challenge, but as he got to know her and her mannerisms he was beginning to crack her cunning code. He could tell she was lying to him, and that alone felt like a painful stab to the heart that he had to brush off as quickly as it came.

"Let me take you home, Lev," Gajeel strained to make it come out like a suggestion rather than an order. He spoke roughly and many individuals labeled his tone as rude, so when it came to Levy he tried to soften everything up. He definitely wasn't good at it, and for some time he felt that being quiet around the woman was better for her sake, but it would drive him mad. He wanted to talk to her, he wanted to be kind to her. Still, it was a bit abrasive whether he planned it to be or not, and Levy sighed and she tucked a wavy strand of hair behind her ear.

"Makarov's order, hmm?" Levy asked with a playful smile, assuming this whole ordeal was more like a chore now, where Levy was a total responsibility and most likely a burden for the busy man.

However, it wasn't anything like she believed. She was completely taken aback when Gajeel shook his head no, and kept his dark eyes planted on her. "No. This is me," he informed with a serious tone. Levy was a bit surprised, but now with Gajeel's eyes softening up she was feeling something else: a warm, fuzzy feeling was taking over her chest and making her heart beat a bit heavier than usual, it felt like her chest was being pounded on.

"A-are you sure? I'm perfectly fine getting home on my own!" Levy declined quickly, and shook her head fast; she turned away from him and pretended to mess with her keys, she needed an excuse to hide her blooming red face. It didn't help that Gajeel had caught a glimpse of her blush, but he didn't tease her for it.

"I know ya are, Lev," he informed her with a soft smile, she could hear the warmth in her voice. His voice lowered then, as if he were embarrassed of what he was going to say, but that wasn't the case at all. In a sense he was sort of proud of himself for being more open towards her, but perhaps this sense of pride wasn't the exact reason why his heart was fluttering so badly. He was definitely flustered, but a man who was once so precise when it came to his feelings now had no idea where to start. "I want ya safe," he confessed.

Levy's eyes widened then, and she allowed herself to peek behind her shoulders and observe him. He wouldn't look at her at first, but then he pulled himself up by the boots and looked Levy in the eyes. Those wide brown eyes that could see through him better than anyone he knew. Then she made things even worse for him; she smiled, that smile that melted the ice that enclosed his heart. He felt flowers blooming in the darkest crevices of his mind and found himself smiling with her.

"Only if I drive," Levy teased before sticking her tongue out, which made Gajeel grin. He tossed his keys in the air for her but caught them way above her head, higher than the tips of her fingers could brush against.

"Relax, Levy. I'll take care of ya." Gajeel said simply, with no hidden meaning behind his words. However, Levy's mind exploded anyway, and when she followed behind Gajeel she slapped her hands against her face, hoping to soothe the red that brushed her face like the bristles of a paint brush.

He didn't understand why she was distancing herself so soon, or why she was trying to avoid him that night when he dropped her off. There wasn't even small talk after he cut the engine; Levy simply pulled a hood over her head and ducked out. All that was left behind was a small thankful, a short smile and then the door slamming behind her. The pitiful ending of their night left Gajeel longing.

Gajeel's eyes remained grim as he kept his eyes on the dark concrete beneath him. Pallets and crates surrounded him, and boxes lined storage shelves that reached three stories up. It was a pretty large warehouse and it's abandoned environment left him with too much time with his mind-consuming thoughts. The stiff, cold air of the warehouse only sent chills down his spine and awakened goosebumps to spread over his skin like a greedy rash, taking what seemed to be every inch of his body.

A leak in the far distance of the storage space created a consistent dripping pattern that echoed around him. Gajeel's sinister stare could melt everything around him; his usually grim scowl that he wore like a second skin had simmered down some when the thought of a peculiar police officer began warming the ice protecting his heart. However, the little blueberry was just as capable of making him feel the opposite sensation, and the impact of her actions could create catastrophic results. She hadn't done anything too bad, but Gajeel couldn't shake the stinging feeling that he'd done something wrong to upset her.

His doom hung around him like a curtain of despair, covering his entire vicinity with darkness. An unwelcoming man if ever seen, and he was boiling into an enraged mess now that Ivan had kept him waiting for so long. Ivan. The name simply rattled his soul as his deep hatred manifested in a tremble that shook his entire core. If it weren't for the sick, twisted man Levy wouldn't hold such an uncomfortable veil around her, she wouldn't look at Gajeel with so much uncertainty, and if Ivan was never in the equation at all perhaps she wouldn't have to be so distant around him.

If the conditions were different— far different for that matter —explaining to Levy everything that was going on in his mind and chest would be sufficiently easier. For now, he'd have to keep those feelings to himself. Even if he did spill the beans, which a couple had already toppled over during a long night out drinking with Lily, Gajeel wouldn't even know where to begin with Levy.

He smirked to himself in the minimum lighting provided in the large warehouse. Only a few of the old lamps held high above his head still worked, and one somewhere behind his left shoulder flickered pitifully as it ran off its last minutes of life. The shadows enveloped the man but the small illumination made him stick out like a dark stain on pure white carpet; the shadows met his face and darkened his already smoldering glare. His red eyes glowed eerily in the darkness, and the last bit of light to the man, the burning end of his cigarette, diminished when he allowed it to fall to the concrete beneath him. The wisps of smoke wafted towards him as the butt distinguished in the flooding waters sweeping into the sole of his boots, and with that his teeth curled into an amused smile.

"How long do ya plan on watchin' me? Come out and fight like a man," Gajeel's hand reaches for the handheld at his waist, the pistol feels lighter for whatever the reason, perhaps because he's in a good mood thanks to the entertainment he's receiving. "Damn pussy," Gajeel starts as he fires into the darkness towards the silhouettes of large crates and the sliver of a man. The string of bullets have come to be music to Gajeel's ears; at a time they used to bring traumatic memories that reminded him of rain pouring over his heated skin, cold and sharp as he stared towards the black endless sky. Gunshots reminded him of his father and his stern, soulless eyes. His serious, business-like father; his eyes glistened before Gajeel's mother died, but that was too long ago for Gajeel to recall. Since then, dark gray orbs gave him stern looks, and his hardened glares left an impressionable mark on Gajeel who never seemed to be seen without a scowl.

Gunshots reminded Gajeel of his trembling arms as a child, staring at gray cinderblock walls as his father steadied his arms arms for him to cease the uncontrollable shaking. The gun felt as if it would snap his thin arms in half, he couldn't stop trembling after the first bullet he shot which propelled him backwards into his father's chest.

"The trembling will subside," his father's voice leaked into his mind, strong and consuming, "now you must aim. Don't let it get to your head, my son. Don't forget what I taught you," Metalicana ordered, his lips a hair away from Gajeel's ear. Gajeel gulped then and steadied his aim, and with squinted eyes and a teeth-baring look he pulled the trigger and fired, perfect bullseye. He remembered the tightening of his father's fingers around him, the release of his hitched breath, the noise he made whenever he smiled.

That moment flashed through Gajeel's eyes at least once every fight, it was when he remembered his father and everything he taught him. It's gotten him this far, and it wasn't going to stop there. Gajeel smirked as more faces appeared from the shadows, and they were the quirky smiles and dead eyes of those he were familiar with.

"Heh, what's this? No one told me about a lil' reunion. What is this, a surprise party?" Gajeel asked with one hand still in his pocket and the other holding his pistol, which still steamed from the fresh shots he released moments ago. The faces were familiar, but one was missing, the stalker-rain-woman as he referred to her as. Gajeel counted the face quickly to collect three, but that didn't promise the figures hiding in the shadows surrounding him. Why the three of them all came out to play at once was before them.

"The element four," Gajeel announced proudly in a mocking manner to the once well respected elite squad of the former Phantom Lord. "I coulda swore ya all died off with yer name, streets haven't seen of ya since the fall of Porla. Almost forgotten ya existed." Gajeel's smirk slid into a pissed off scowl and he was done wasting his time on spilled milk. "Where's Ivan?" His question was demanded like an order and echoed throughout the empty building.

Despite the elements and their notorious strength, they didn't flinch at his demanding tone like they once had years prior. Gajeel's grip tightened as their defiant smirks and confident stances gave the same effect as a sharp smack to his face. Had they forgotten who led one of the most horrific street wars Magnolia's ever seen? Blood was shed for the sake of capturing Makarov, and although Gajeel failed pitifully at that request he was still something to be feared. He'd pushed his pride aside and titled Makarov an unbeatable opponent for anyone, and ironically he'd eventually started working under the old man.

Still, the elements didn't forget their place, did they? With Porla rotting in prison they'd lost all sense of structure, not to mention their discipline. They were unpredictable now. What made Gajeel the most uncomfortable was Aria, who remained in the back of the triangle the elements formed; Gajeel was immediately brought back to that scene in the alleyway where Levy kicked the daylights out of him when she learned his true identity. He remembered pulling her to his chest and covering her mouth just in time for the big guy to walk by. That was months ago and Ivan never scolded him on that, it was unfinished business that made Gajeel uncomfortable to say the least. Besides the point, the elemental four— or should he say three ever since Juvia turned a new leaf — shouldn't have even been here. They were amongst the many, like Gajeel himself, that got away from the authorities once the miniature civil war was over.

"Our master isn't here," the skinny man, Sol as Gajeel recalled, answered. He was still as weird and awkward as ever, and the sound of the man recalling Jose Porla as "master" made Gajeel's nose wrinkle with disgust.

"That's funny, last time I checked I was summoned here by Ivan's order, and yer tellin' me the bastard hasn't shown up yet." Gajeel took a glimpse at the smug bastard to the left who kept his arms crossed and his eyes dead on him. "What's with the smart ass smirk?" Gajeel antagonized just to make the quiet man cough up something, but he was left unsatisfied with silence. "I can understand these guys joining the mafia after Phantom was busted," Gajeel started as he pointed his nose at Sol and Aria, "but last I heard you dropped your dirty ways to become nothing but a little high school teacher." Gajeel's lips curled into a tight smile as if he found the man's new found profession to be humorous in terms of where he started off at. Being a teacher just seemed so off setting, if anyone knew the blood that had been spilled thanks to Totomaru the last thing anyone would want is for him to be responsible for their children.

"Y'got me there," Totomaru shrugged slightly. "But I ain't no high school teacher. I teach martial arts." He corrected with an irritated glare. Gajeel didn't flinch, he only kept his unimpressed glare and didn't break eye contact with his opponent. "Anyways, that's not the point. The point is that we have unfinished business here."

"You should freshen up my memory then. It's been more than five years last time I checked, it's hard to believe yer panties would be in a twist after so long." Gajeel's growled before curling into a smirk.

"We all know it was you who threw Porla under the bus," Totomaru started. "All to save your own ass once it met Makarov's unspeakable wrath." His teeth gritted just thinking about it. "You treacherous dog, Porla was like a father to us, to all the orphaned and lost shadows that lined those alleyways. He provided us shelter from the elements, placed food on our tables, cash in our pockets, and you sold him out. You sold him out for your own benefit!" The enraged man's voice crashed through the warehouse and bounced off all corners, and still Gajeel remained indifferent. "For the majority of us Phantom Lord was all we had, and you took that away for your own selfish gain. Why? You were one of Porla's favorites, so why did you turn your back on your own gang?" Totomaru demanded answers, and he was seething with rage that made his entire body tremble.

Gajeel's serious demeanor cracked for a second, and a sickly laugh escaped the man's body. It boomed from him, and the elemental three that remained yards in front of him tensed up and braced themselves for whatever could happen. Gajeel mellowed into a sinister grin, "Huh. With all that big talk it almost sounds like you believe Jose Porla was a good person." Gajeel's smile wiped off and his stare intensified just thinking of how twisted their idea of the man was. "He was nothing but a scheming murderer. Yer lucky I didn't fucking kill him—," Gajeel immediately flung himself to the right when a shot came from Sol, the damn bastard. His gun was shaking in his hands and his eyes were wide as he remained in a trance. Totomaru's mouth hung open as he stared at his comrade in disbelief.

"Sol, what the fuck man, that wasn't the plan! What do you think you're—," Totomaru's voice was cut off and replaced with a cry when a bullet cleanly shot through his shoulder. Gajeel had emerged from the shadows with glowing red eyes, and he sped towards them at a deathly rate. "Oh fuck, he's coming right at us," Totomaru clenched his teeth as he kept tight pressure on his shoulder. "The Hell are ya idiots just standing there for? Kill that bastard! Kill him for what he's done to our master!" Totomaru ordered, and like that Aria and Sol ran towards him.

Aria had always seemed challenging in Gajeel's eyes, but the other two were once very pathetic to him. He knew not to underestimate them this time, for in five years even the monocle-sporting bastard had gained some skill. It seemed that Aria remained indifferent during the whole ordeal, but vengeance fueled Totomaru and Sol who relentlessly gave Gajeel everything they had. Bullets were whirling past each side of him as he was out numbered, and if it weren't for the two assholes double teaming him, Aria was an even more detrimental target to worry over.

Gajeel knew he'd eventually feel the wrath of Porla's favorites the moment the truth came to the surface, but after five years he truly believed that maybe the truth would never come out at all. He should have finished all of them back then, back on that day when Porla was taken down, but he hadn't. Why? Perhaps he was trying to be a better person then, what he believed was a better person, or maybe he'd never know at all.

The fight had to have lasted thirty minutes, all with Gajeel remaining very close-ranged. Aria stepped in eventually, making the enemy count three. Gajeel was ashamed that he was taking such powerful hits from them, even with being out numbered he'd never had gotten this roughened up in the past. Something in him was holding back on these guys, and he couldn't figure out why he was allowing them to get their hits in the first place, even Aria who had remained neutral came in to give Gajeel a good swing, and that alone made the room around him spin around. He was coughing roughly now, and his body was feeling heavier than it's ever felt, he was running off of steam, and as he knelt over and felt the cold concrete against his palms a terrifying realization occurred to him. He didn't want to hurt anyone.

"This is underwhelming, it's not nearly as satisfying as I'd pictured it to be," Totomaru started indifferently but with a clearly disappointed expression. "The most feared and notorious black steel has grown weak, it's no fun when he's holding back like this."

"I don't think he's holding back," Sol said with an amused laugh that ruptured out of him. "I think he's always been weak to begin with! You shouldn't be very surprised—!"

Sol's taunting was cut short when something snapped in Gajeel, the same viscous monster that had led him throughout his darker years. A straight shot to the face blew Sol's matter across the arena's vicinity; his blood splattered the walls and streaked across the skin and clothing of his comrades. There was silence when everyone froze up then, and Gajeel locked up when he aimed to Aria who had tears streaming down his face as usual, but this time in a more drastic state than he'd ever seen. Sol's lifeless body slumped to the ground and twitched one last time, and Gajeel's chest tightened at what he's done. He brushed the guilt away and realized there was nothing that could be done, despite him wanting to walk away from this battle, he couldn't sacrifice himself at a time like this. He had someone to live for now, someone who'd worry about him. Her name stung his heart and he tried not to think about her, not at a time like this.

"This can't be, it's so sad," Aria started with a chest swirling with emotions that trembled his loud voice. "How sorrowful. Gajeel, how could you?"

Gajeel felt a tinge if pain over the faceless body in the red suit that lied limp on the floor, but there was nothing else to it. He never cared for these assholes, not even for a second before, so what was happening to him? He pushed away the pity, and as usual the churning of his stomach subsided and he felt as if he hadn't killed anyone at all. Despite trying to turn a new leaf for the sake of Levy, he couldn't change that deep down he was raised to be a cold, calculated and heartless murderer.

He knew Aria was a nut case that cried over everything and couldn't overcome the sorrow of violence despite how accustomed he should be of it by now. Gajeel aimed at Aria next, thinking nothing of it, as innocent as the guy liked to play it off, he was the leader of this whole ambush. It was his call that ordered him to meet Ivan there. Whether Gajeel asked for this or not he knew he'd have to kill them, but it made him wonder why the Hell Aria hadn't killed him yet. He was one of Phantom's most feared and most powerful, he'd even taken down Makarov at one point, something Gajeel could only dream of accomplishing one day. Not that he'd ever hurt the old man, but to own strength that great would be unimaginable. Aria would be a difficult opponent, and yet he—

"You murderer!"

A voice shrilled from in front of him, and Gajeel's eyes widened when something didn't feel quite right. It happened so quickly he hadn't caught it, and he understood what it was the moment the blood rushed up from within him and splattered into the air. Gajeel remained still, but a slight shiver overtook his stance as he glanced towards his hip where the sharp blade ran right through him. The sharp metal retracted from his skin, only to be thrusted into him at a harsher, more damaging strike. "You fucking murderer!" The blade twisted inside of him to worsen the wound and Gajeel felt his body grow weak as he roared outward, and he felt the metal cut downwards, elongating the injury. He couldn't believe he'd allow himself to be so careless, these weren't amateurs that he was dealing with. They were stronger now, capable enough of joining Ivan's team, and they'd proven it. Even with a pitiful improvement Gajeel wasn't going to back off so easily, now they'd really pissed him off, and this bastard stabbing him was going to be the first to feel his wrath. Despite being wounded he could still fight, and he was determined to make his way out of this.

"You really fucked up now," Gajeel seethed as he pressed his gun towards Totomaru's neck, just in time to watch the man's eyes widen when death was only seconds away from wrapping its welcoming arms around his cold, lifeless body, when a voice spoke up that snapped the both of them back into reality.

"Always play fighting, aren't we Gajeel?" The voice started, which only irritated Gajeel more. "Now, now, boys, that's enough. Drop your weapons and pay your attention to me, now." Ivan's order was gracious as he glared downward on the scene, and somewhere to Gajeel's left the mastermind of it all stood high on one of the many shelves lining the facility. Ivan crossed his arms over his chest and watched with hungry eyes as Totomaru pouted like a child caught stealing candy, he quickly retracted his blade out, which made Gajeel roar as his blood splattered after the steel. Gajeel fell to his knees quickly and placed a hand over the gaping wound next to his stomach, and with a fever breaking over his skin he looked up in time to find Ivan shaking his head with disappointment.

"I leave you children unsupervised for only a few minutes and you end up killing each other. Why?" Ivan began pacing back and forth as he lectured the three men still alive. "I leave you the one and most simplest job to get Gajeel Redfox here in order to discuss crucial business and this is what happens."

"It's unacceptable!" Totomaru roared. "This man is a traitor and deserves to suffer! I tried to explain to you what he'd done to Phantom Lord, he isn't someone who can be trusted."

Ivan glanced over at Gajeel who was making a mess over the concrete, his blood was creating a thick puddle beneath him and although it was only a sword that struck through him, Totomaru's master skills seemed to know exactly how to make any cut lethal.

"Phantom Lord was a joke," Ivan spat, which made Totomaru bristle up defensively. "That Jose Porla was an embarrassment to Magnolia. I think what Gajeel did was impressive, inspiring, and for that he is very important to me." Ivan's eyes turned towards the unrecognizable body lying on the ground yards away, but with that tacky red suit he was able to figure out who the unlucky bastard was. "I'm impressed, Gajeel. For a while your hands were too clean for my liking, but now you've proven me other wise. I'm very proud of you." He smiled tightly when Gajeel coughed out another threatening amount of blood.

Totomaru wielded his weapon once more, "Ivan with all do respect, I believe you are making a terrible mistake. Let me end this bastard while we have the chance!"

"I'll be making the calls on who dies, Totomaru." Ivan stated the cold reminder with a stare that could even make Fullbuster shiver. Gajeel remained on one knee with a hand clenched to his fresh wound, and an uneasy feeling slowed through his veins when he felt the blood leaking past the cracks of his fingers. Ivan returned to Gajeel with a look that was anything but concern. "Gajeel, get to your feet and clean yourself up, you're dirtying my establishment."

Gajeel gritted his teeth at that and seethed, but he didn't dare speak up to the mafia boss himself. He bit his tongue then, and after so many years he'd found restraint in his anger— at least the verbal aspect of it. He rose to his feet and bared down on his teeth when a sharp sting electrified his torso.

Ivan snickered. "If you stitch up before you bleed to death, make sure you arrive promptly this time to our next appointment. There's a shipment I need you to work on, and there's still that pesky bar-whore from Fairy Tail to finish off. Surely I'll be expecting you."

"What about the short one?" Totomaru asked with a bit more light to his once serious tone. "The one that took down Flare, and Kurohebi, she's like a legend now. They gotta name for her and everything, can't remember it though." The other men were oblivious to the way Gajeel tensed up considerably, as if he was entirely made of stone, but Ivan had caught a glimpse of it, if even for just a moment. "What I'd do to slice the bitch up myself," Totomaru started with bloodthirsty eyes, "to take on a girl who was strong enough to take two of our best, and even Flare—,"

The preliminary monologue was cut shorter than expected when gunshots were fired at the men. Gajeel remained calm in the fire while the other two shrilled; Gajeel was left surprised when bullets aimed towards the floor right before Totomaru's feet rather than the man's chest, given Gajeel knew by now that speaking without permission was enough to get one killed. Totomaru's sword clanked as it fell like a dead weight on the floor, the grown man crouched down and kept his hand above his head as he trembled in fear. The sight of his fear only made Gajeel's wound sting more, and the idea that a coward like Totomaru could get a good jab at him hurt more than the actual steel that sliced through his core.

Ivan ticked under his breath and raised his gun towards the ceiling. "You talk too damn much." He pointed bitterly to Totomaru, where only whimpering was replied, Ivan's attention then turned to the right, where he grimaced at Gajeel and the amount of blood he was spilling, the puddle around him that had grew considerably. "Humph. You're all dismissed. Get out of my sight."

 **Gajeel's eyes narrowed as he** remembered that night, and subconsciously his fingertips grazed where the stitches had laced his skin. There was a dreary presence to him now, and it irritated him that he could be so grave all of a sudden; he was enjoying the high he felt after being alone with Levy in the lounge only minutes before. Gajeel watched the bar from his hiding place and picked out the blue waves that bounced around as the girl spoke with an animated personality. She sipped on a drink and acted as if nothing happened, she seemed to be telling a good story to cover up her eventful activities the hour prior.

Gajeel's sour scowl sweetened up a pinch when he saw her bright, beautiful smile and his weariness lifted like a blanket that was wrapping around him. At least for the time being she was happy, and most importantly she was safe. Gajeel reached in his back pocket for a cigarette, and just as he lit the stick between his lips he was alarmed by Lily who was rushing towards him with a stressed rush to his movements. Even in the flashing lights of the club Gajeel could make out the sweat dripping down the man's temples.

"Lil," Gajeel started with a grunt before puffing out the smoke in his chest. "Ya look like shit," he finished with a tight frown and a glare that didn't give off how he truly felt about Lily's predicament.

Lily was even less enthusiastic. "Where the Hell have you been?" Lily asked with a voice that didn't match his usually collected and laid back personality. This rattled Gajeel the most, and his eyes widened when Lily limped towards him, "do you have any idea what's been happening while you were messing around on the job?!"

"Lil, what the Hell happened? Who did this to ya?" Gajeel asked with an alerted pitch to his usually steady voice. His eyes widened when Lil's glare intensified and he raised his gun to Gajeel with gritted teeth; Lily aimed and shot fire before Gajeel could explain himself, and everything had slowed down in that moment until an unsettling cry came out from behind Gajeel. Gajeel looked behind his shoulder slowly to find the victim of Lily's violence on the floor bleeding out, his eyes widened then when he hadn't even heard the asshole coming up to him.

"Considering I make an effort to watch your back," Lily started with a stressed grunt, "it would be most appreciated if you attempted to watch mine."

"I had some business to settle," Gajeel spoke to himself more than Lily, and he lifted his gun up and glanced behind his shoulder. Silence and darkness wrapped around the top floor; Gajeel huffed before surveying the dancing crowd, and most importantly the group of girls at the bar who seemed to be completely oblivious to the war upstairs. "Seems like the crowd underneath didn't hear the shot."

"With the music this loud and our location high up, they could have mistaken it for anything," Lily explained in further detail. "Even so, it wouldn't be smart if we continued shooting in the building, I only did it because you managed to let someone sneak up on you." Lily's words held a tinge of irritation, which felt more like a punishment than a jab to Gajeel. He was aware he messed up by letting his emotions and lust get in the way of his job, so despite the sirens in his head telling him to give Lily Hell, he simply ignored them. Lily was roughed up enough as it was, and if Gajeel hadn't been with Levy in the lounge perhaps he'd be in better condition.

"How many of these bastards have you taken out?" Gajeel asked his partner.

"Including the one behind you? That would make it three." Lily pulled himself back up and forced himself to stand tall despite desperately wanting to lean against the wall.

"Any idea of how many could be swarming the place?" Gajeel asked as he placed his gun away.

"If my gut is telling me the truth, Id like to say we're in for some trouble." Lily responded grimly as he scanned the top floor that lined the building, he looked past the crowd to the other side where the darkness hid anyone beyond he railing. "Perhaps we should spread out."

Gajeel nodded in agreement. "Yeah, wouldn't be a good idea to be seen with one of Makarov's—," he stopped when the glass just beside them shattered instantly; the neon blue lights beside him flickered before dying out, and a pause came from the building before it erupted in a chaotic crowd panicking in all directions.

"So much for not using guns indoors," Lily grumbled in a pissed off manner as he reached for his weapon, but he was more taken aback by Gajeel who was tearing away from him. "Gajeel! What the Hell are you doing?"

"Levy's down there!" Gajeel roared without turning back, and he rushed towards the other side of the building where he could finish off whatever bastards hid in the shadows. However, this was a terrible decision, and little did Gajeel know, he was running right into their trap.

"Gajeel, wait! Try to think this through for a minute!" Lily cried out with his hand forward, but it was too late, he could already hear Gajeel's gun unloading in the dark void, and once again Lily realized he'd take this on his own.

 **"S-so what's your plan exactly?"** Levy asked hysterically as she looked around frantically. "Maybe we should paint targets on us while we're at it since you have us standing right out in the open!"

"Never mind that," Mira ordered in a voice deeper and colder than her usually chirp, and Levy immediately took her words back. "I definitely know where they're hiding. C'mon."

"Where are we going?" Levy asked quickly as she tried to keep up with Mira.

"We're going to go to them, it'll be better if we keep the shooting upstairs and away from the customers," Mira explained.

"You're aware that we could be running into an ambush, right? Who knows how many are waiting for us up there!" Levy cried, and she didn't mean to sound like such a scaredy cat. She was just thinking things thoroughly, it was her logical side that always butted it's way through tough predicaments.

"I've already thought about that," Mira affirmed, "but we can't just—," Mira was cut off when glass shattered towards them; instinctively both girls ducked down, but the explosion was not from any type of shooting, it came from the body that was thrown over the railing of the second floor and towards the merciless bar below it. The body went limp after the impact. Mira stopped in her tracks with furrowed brows, "What in the... is someone already up there? Where's Cana and Lucy? I sent them in the opposite direction from here!"

"It's... it's not Cana and Lucy," Levy informed apprehensively and braced herself for Mira's questioning. She knew that Mira was one of the closest to master Makarov, it's been that way since her younger years and especially even more so now that she was with Laxus. She has to have known about Gajeel some way or another, right? Levy had no idea just how secretive Gajeel's double life was, it was to the point that not even Cana had known who he was, Levy wouldn't either if she hadn't been such a brat and went out of her way to arrest him. Mira paused then and there and turned around to Levy with wide eyes, only to proceed with a huge smile.

"Oh my goodness, the rumors were true after all!" Mira chirped, breaking out of her war

-zone-personality to let her usual bubbly personality shine through. "I knew you two had it crazy for each other, oh, if people were more aware anyone could see it!"

"What are you talking about?" Levy asked as she was genuinely confused.

"Don't act like you don't know, I'm talking about Gajeel! Oh you guys are adorable, I wish I had someone other than the master to talk to about it!" Mira stared into the distance as she pondered, and Levy was completed dumbfounded to find Mira as a giggly mess in the midst of gunshots and chaos. "But I think the secrecy of it all is what makes it all the juicier! Laxus would kill you if he found out— Forbidden love!"

"Wh-what?!" Levy cried out with absolute mortification. "No, no it's not like that at all!" Levy turned away with a vivid blush on her face. "I- I just got myself into something I couldn't handle and now I have to deal with it." Levy pouted as she considered what else to say, but with the bullets whirling over head she could only successfully scream out, "We're not in love!"

"Don't worry Levy, it can be our little secret!" Mira placed a slender finger in front of her tight grin and gave Levy a wink. Levy was completely dumbfounded when Mira raised her gun and turned serious again. "I'm sure glad to know we have some kind of backup. No one was prepared for this."

Levy was still stuck on the previous topic. "How'd you know?" Levy asked curiously before stumbling over her words. "About Gajeel? You just mentioned him out of nowhere!"

"Well I mean, why else would he be here? It would be to protect you," Mira started insightfully.

"Excuse me?" Levy spoke so quickly she felt light headed.

"I spotted Lily near the bar a few moments ago, so I know it couldn't have been him up there. That means it had to have been Gajeel!" Mira smiled just thinking about it, "which is so sweet to think about it," she continued just in time to grab Levy by the wrist and slam her behind another destroyed bar. Levy was glad that the dark lighting and loud music could hide her red face and change in breathing, and she hoped Mira couldn't tell how flustered she was from the whole thing.

"You have the wrong idea, Lily and Gajeel were stationed here to protect you. It had nothing to do with me," Levy explained as her heart calmed down some. The shooting remained upstairs and it eased her to know that all of the customers had safely evacuated the nightclub.

"Not true," Mira explained as she scoped her area. Something that took concentration for Levy was second nature to Mira, and she very easily gossiped despite having her life on the line as the main target of this ambush. It only helped Levy further analyze Mira's skill, and that what looked like carelessness was just years of experience. "Only Lily was sent to watch over me tonight, Makarov wouldn't put Gajeel on any intensive job because of his injury."

When Levy stared at Mira with wide eyes and didn't say anything, Mira only sighed. "I may have mentioned something to him," she stuck her tongue out, "ugh he was so persistent. Once he found out you were coming to visit me he insisted on assisting Lily. I think it was an excuse to see you. I mean, this is everything Lily told me, I hadn't actually seen or spoken to Gajeel tonight, he's not the kind for conversation." Mira waved off Levy's surprised expression, "whatever it was I'm sure glad he decided to show up!"

"I'm surprised you knew about Lily and him to begin with," Levy admitted. She thought this whole thing was supposed to be secretive, but perhaps Mira was the exception. Levy also couldn't get over the mentioning of Laxus's disapproval of Gajeel, she really hoped Mira wouldn't accidentally say anything; the girl really liked to spread information. She watched Mira calculate her aim and hit every target square in the chest, Levy hadn't seen someone shoot so precisely before. She really was skillful and so beyond Levy as of now that a part of her warmed up at the thought of becoming an officer like Mira was so legendarily known for.

"Don't get me wrong, Makarov gave me some kind of insight that someone would be watching over me. Lily was kind enough to greet me at the beginning of my shift, I didn't expect that much from Gajeel." Mira huffed at the thought but then quickly turned to Levy with a cute smile and the rapid waving of her hand, "no offense!"

"None taken," Levy replied, still slightly dumbfounded that Mira could so casually talk in the middle of a shoot out, especially when she was the sole reason Fairy Tail was being shot up to begin with. Levy was even more surprise that she was carrying the conversation as well, and it only helped her understand how much she'd change as an officer as well as a person. The crying mess that handled Flare Corona would die in a shoot out this intense, and finally she believe she was starting to get the hang of things.

Perhaps Mira was numb to the action and crime thanks to her days as the notorious "demon" or maybe it had more to do with the fact that for the past month and a half Mira's life had been absolute Hell. Levy didn't have to distinguish between the two, so she took initiative and pushed past Mira with her weapon armed and ready. She could only take so much of hiding behind someone's shoulder, she knew she'd eventually have to take initiative, and as much as Mira loved playing the protective, big sister role, Levy wouldn't let someone hold her hand during this.

"Levy, what are you doing?" Mira asked quickly, as her eyes shot open when she found Levy tearing away from her.

"Lily and Gajeel must be close by if they dropped the guy right above us, in that case I'm gonna make my way up the other stair case so we can sandwich these guys in," Levy started. "Don't worry about me I can handle it on my own, you help the others."

"I'm coming with you," Mira ordered without giving Levy any room to argue with her. With the way a shadow casted over her eyes and her eyebrows furrowed, the last thing Levy wanted to do was disagree with such a serious and determined woman. Levy nodded quickly, "if my calculations are right, then I should be able to pinpoint exactly where the bullets were coming from. It seems rather stationary, and as long as we go unseen then maybe we can catch them by surprise!"

"Smart girl!" Mira praised as she ran alongside the blunette, all the while the partners upstairs weren't as cheery, and blood was already being shed on the upstairs flooring of Fairy Tail.

 **His first attempt to help Levy** was unsuccessful. Gajeel felt his breath hitch and his body was breaking out into a feverish sweat. Lily paused to take a breather, and his eyes skipped quickly from body to body to keep count of what they were dealing with, so far seven bodies lied splayed out and lifeless before them, but knowing Lily they were not dead. He wasn't a killer. Still, with he blood soaking his clothes and menacing look that always swirled in his dark eyes when he engaged in battle would make the typical bystander to think otherwise. He turned to Gajeel who was breathing a bit out of rhythm, as if he was straining. "You sure you can handle this?"

"Don't make me laugh," Gajeel scoffed as he was insulted by Lily's remark. "This ain't nothin'. I got stabbed for fucks sake, ain't like it's a gunshot wound." Gajeel sent him a stern glare which silently told Lily not to worry about about him any further, but all Lily did was stare back at him disapprovingly. Gajeel's statement made him look down at the crowd where Levy had disappeared off to, and she was last seen being guided by their main objective, the bar demon. She was hiding a pretty nasty injury under that halter top of her's, and Gajeel couldn't imagine the pain she was experiencing, given Mira suppressed all her true feelings behind a semi-permanent smile.

Besides understanding Lily's concern, Gajeel found the cuts and bruises faded on his face more embarrassing than his lagging performance. He shouldn't of allowed those assholes to hit him like that, experienced enemies or not he should have handled it better, but it was a lesson learned. "It's not the first time I've fought while injured."

"As reckless as you are I wouldn't doubt that," Lily started as he reloaded his weapon. "But this is the first time I've seen you handle it so poorly. Try to keep up and don't get yourself killed."

"Yeah, yeah," Gajeel gritted his teeth and focused outward onto the bottom floor, which was mostly vacant now. His mind was throbbing thanks to the DJ abandoning his post before shutting the music off, and now rave music was distracting him when he needed more than anything to concentrate on the enemy. He could spot every so often the young officers that had accompanied Levy, but as of now the witty woman and the bar demon were no where to be seen. This sent vast waves of apprehension through Gajeel to the point he felt physically sick; he knew Levy was clever enough to keep herself alive and well, but not being able to see or protect her made something in Gajeel considerably uneasy.

It wasn't far long until Gajeel did however spot a blob of blue hair bouncing quickly as it passed the destructed tables and thrown over -bar stools, and in the chaotic clutter of the now destroyed seating arrangement, Gajeel found Levy running towards the west wing stair case, up into the potential dangers that was the ambushed upper floor.

"What the Hell does she think she's doing?! She's gonna get herself killed!" Gajeel cried aloud, which made Lily— who was in the middle of telling him something urgent —stop to follow Gajeel's stare. "If she's trying to be our back up, she's only gonna end up getting shot down. There's too many of these bastards up here for her to just run through!" Gajeel started as he reached himself over the rail and positioned himself to jump.

"Gajeel, what the Hell are you—," but Lily was too late to stop him, and his mouth flung open in disbelief and Gajeel launched himself over the railing and disappeared from the top floor. "Are you insane?! Don't abandon your post, you—!" Lily's knuckles turned pale from how hard he was gripping the railing; a part of his tension released slightly when he found Gajeel's fall poorly broken by the table beneath him, now shattered and splintered on the floor. He watched as his partner tore towards the blunette and going against everything that the master had ordered them to do. "You've got to be kidding me," Lily whimpered as he reached for his handheld. And for the third time that night Gajeel had left him in the dust.

 **Levy and Mira were almost** to the West wing staircase, a quickly five minute walk was now delayed by the heavy fire of bullets towards them. Levy ducked behind the white leather couches that expelled dust and debris whenever bullets whizzed through the material, and with every punch of her gut instinct she'd return to being out in the open and aim her weapon accordingly, aiming for the viscous silhouettes that craved her life and would relentlessly take it if she gave them the chance to. She would then duck back down and brace herself for the shower of bullets, breaking glass and rocketing shots through furniture surrounding her.

"I'm running out of ammo," Levy hated to admit as she held her gun up sheepishly. The revealing wine colored dress she sported wasn't as helpful as her police uniform that held all her necessities, and she only carried with her what she would during a concealed carry. She looked over at Mira with wide, concerned eyes only to find the fair beauty staring defeatedly at her gun.

"Ol' demon ran out ages ago." Mira started as she rocked the gun up and down in her hand, and sent Levy a saddened smile. This made Levy's heart drop into her stomach, and something broke in her when she saw the look on Mira's face, something that didn't match her positive personality— it was fear. "I'm really sorry I got you into this, Levy. It wasn't supposed to be this way. You shouldn't be in this mess." Mira's hopeless eyes remained open and she didn't flinch when the bullets crashed around them, unlike Levy who jerked visibly and screwed her eyes shut from the force of the gunfire.

"It's not your fault," Levy assured her, and she reached her hands forward to place them on Mira's shoulders supportively. "We're family, Mira, we've always been. I'm not going anywhere."

Mira smiled kindly at that, but it was a sad smile that had lost its hope long ago, it wasn't the chipper grin that Levy had associated her with. Levy was taken off guard when a form had skidded beside them; Levy raised her gun on impulse but stopped quickly when she recognized Cana. The woman's jumpsuit had been shredded considerably, and a part of one pantsleg had ripped all the way up the thigh. The cheap material was doing a poor job at holding together during Cana'd desperate means of escape and evading. "How are ya two hanging?" Cana asked alertly.

"We're managing," Levy replied. "But were low on ammo."

"Shit," Cana started. "I swear to the Gods it's always moments like these where that know-it-all fucking Laxus takes his sweet ass time sending back up." Cana peered over the couch with eyes wide open, and she quickly hissed under her breath. "For the meantime, the games over for you Mira, Levy, ima need you to follow my lead, got it? Make every damn bullet count."

"Right," Levy started as she pulled herself up to follow Cana's orders. She didn't know what she was expecting on the other side of her cover, there could be multiple shooters and it was all a matter of who shot who first. This could be her final moment, and Levy felt her mind grow fuzzy and her eyes experienced tunnel vision. She couldn't see Cana in her peripheral vision, but heard her voice loud and clear.

"I need to reload. We have a big one coming at us now, get ready!" Cana started.

Levy immediately reached up to take the shot, but when she rose to the challenge she fell completely still. The large man coming towards her wasn't the enemy she had expected, it was Gajeel, and their eyes had met for a split second before he was an open target to the actual enemy that Levy was supposed to worried about— her breath hitched just as he was shot at, and he miraculously dodged the bullets as they tore apart his surroundings. Gajeel protected himself by placing an arm over his face as the debris flew rapidly around him. Levy screamed out when a shot went off from behind her, and Gajeel immediately took cover behind one of the counters, hopping over and sliding against dangerous shards of glass.

Levy's bullet counted as she aimed towards the man that was shooting after Gajeel, and the blank silhouette rocketed backwards from her shot. Levy quickly ducked down and tried her best to peer at the bar Gajeel disappeared behind; her heart was racing as she hoped he was okay, and she worried that from behind that counter anything could be wrong with him. She worried if he was injured, she wanted to get to him quickly as she could, but with everyone around her there was no way she could hide being associated with him, not if someone from her team were to see them together. Levy wanted to cry out to him but she knew better than that, so instead she gripped her gun tightly and silently ordered him to be safe, hoping that in some magical way her prayers would get to him.

Gajeel resurfaced then, and the eye contact the two of them made was enough for Levy's heart to beat even harder. She visibly relaxed when she saw he was okay, but what Cana said next made the hairs on the back of her neck stand alertedly.

"Levy, thats him, don't let him get away!" Cana exclaimed as she jumped up and aimed for Gajeel. Every alarm went off in Levy then, and quickly she jumped to her feet and used all her might to push Cana's gun upwards and away from Gajeel, just before she could make the lethal shot. Levy knew Cana was skillful in her craft, and the force Levy presses on her was enough to make the brunette stumble backwards.

"Wait— Don't shoot him!" Levy shrilled as she forced Cana's gun to point in another direction. The rough, unexpected attack made Cana's bullet for Gajeel shoot upwards into the air unexpectedly, only to unfortunately aim at the many club-light that flashed an array of colors across the dance floor. The shot just so happened to be enough to rattle something undone, and perhaps it was the other bullets going across the top floor that led to a large branch of the structure to fall down towards them. Mira gritted her teeth and suppressed the agonizing sting that sharpened around her wound as she jumped towards Levy and pushed her out of the way. The strip of stage lights crashed around their previous hiding spot, and Cana luckily managed to skid out of the way before becoming victim to the accident; if it was the lights that would end her, it would be the bullets that tore through their previous hide out.

Levy cried out when Mira landed over her, and to her horror blood was smearing across the woman's neck, indicating that bleeding underneath had seeped past the material that was hiding it.

"Mira," Levy cried, but was silenced when the woman gave her a soft smile and warm eyes, something that didn't match the destruction around them and the crimson on her porcelain skin.

"I'll be fine, don't worry about it," Mira soothed Levy's apprehension. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah, I think so." Levy started nervously as she propped herself up. "Where all of them coming from? We have to be outnumbered one to five at this rate."

Mira remained silent to that. Her eyes darkened and she looked downward at her empty gun, and all she could think about was how this was basically all of her fault. She wanted to keep Levy and Cana safe, Lucy wasn't anywhere to be seen, and now she was worried. It was also clear to all of them that ammo wasn't the only thing they were running out of; if they stayed in this club any longer they'd eventually run out of places to take cover behind. The three of them were a tumbling mess as they pulled themselves together and took refuge under the last standing tables in the seating area. And as they were all reunited, Levy gulped when she met a pair of enraged eyes.

To say the least, Cana was livid.

"What the fuck was that, Levy?!" Cana shrieked out as bullets fired over them, and her tone of voice and choice of language was far more threatening to Levy than the gunfire. "Why would you do that?! You made me waste ammo!" Cana screamed, turning red in the face and her voice scorching with irritation.

"I can't let you hurt him!" Levy cried out without any explanation to back up her actions, her voice died out by the sound of rapid gun fire, and now the entire club sounded like some kind of war zone. There was no telling how many shooters were in here now, but their machine guns made the small pistol in Levy's hand feel useless and inferior.

"Don't you recognize who that asshole is? He's the fucker who we found talking to Kurohebi!" Levy's mouth dropped open and she was speechless when Cana recognized Gajeel so easily. He stood out pretty easily with the piercings and all, but deep down Levy had hoped nobody would know who he was, so she could see him more. When Levy stared at her like a doe caught in headlights, Cana had to suppress the urge to shake some sense into her. "Levy, that guys in the mafia! They're clearly the ones behind this whole thing! Does that not ring a bell to you?!"

"Of course it does!" Levy shrieked out, and she tried to explain herself without giving too much information. "I-I did it b-because we can't waste our ammo, we only have so little left." Levy tested the lie, but it sounded better in her head. She looked over at Mira for help, but the bartender flashed her sad eyes before keeping her defeated stare to the ground.

"Yeah, doesn't make much sense that you pushed my gun up and made me waste one of my shots," Cana snapped, which made Levy feel a physical sting in her chest. "Today's not the day to get sentimental and hold back, Lev! That's it, I'm gonna kill him if it's the last thing I do, and you and me are gonna have a serious talk when we're done. Now's not the time to have a change in heart with these people, at the end of the day they're murderers!" Cana began to pull herself out from the table she took cover under, but stopped abruptly when Levy's hand wrapped desperately around her arm.

"Cana, wait!" Levy cried out desperately as she held Cana back with all her might. Now Cana had finally stopped to take her partner into consideration, and her eyes widened at the way Levy was distressed and holding back tears.

"Levy?" Cana asked then, concerned but more confused if anything. Levy knew that she was acting crazy, and if she never told Cana the truth then she'd never understand. She gulped before starting, and she knew with their lives being in danger she didn't have time to hesitate forever. Her grip on Cana's jumpsuit tightened until she was shaking, and with wide eyes she told her the truth.

"I... I never told you the name of the guy I've been seeing," Levy began shyly, and already Cana's expression deepened into speechless shock, for anyone could see where Levy was going with this. Levy started this explanation the best way she could, but no matter how many times she phrased it in her head it didn't come out right.

Explaining to any officer that she was seeing someone related to the mafia had no acceptable explanation. It was evident that Levy was active with a partner, there were countless times Cana had found the love bites blooming deep purple and red over her fair skin. The teasing had become so prominent that Levy stopped hiding it around Cana all together, and there was no way Levy couldn't talk about it, she kept things anonymous but it felt good to be part of the sex talk the female officers share during their coffee breaks, as well as the scandalous conversations that Cana and the other experienced women had on a regular basis. Though she never mentioned Gajeel's name, she mentioned the man before, and now the gears in Cana's head were turning; the brunette turned pale at the realization.

"WHAT?!" Cana shrieked, only for the rest of the glass sculpture was destroyed and more glass and chaos rained over them, cutting them two's conversation off. "YOU MEAN HIM?!" Cana's voice shook Levy's body as Cana pointed at the figure that had ducked behind the bar. Now the gunfire wasn't the only threatening thing in this room. Levy tried to soothe Cana's flames, but if anything the brunette looked horridly betrayed, it was a pretty juicy secret to keep away from her partner.

"S-sorry, I'll explain later— j-just don't kill him!" Levy spat out as she escaped the awkward situation by pulling herself away from Cana and running towards another spot of refuge. She could hear Cana shrieking behind her to get back and explain herself, but Levy was caught in the chaotic ambush that was firing towards them. At the rate this was going they wouldn't have anywhere else to hide given everything would be shot through eventually, but in the calm before the second storm there was silence as no bullets were fired, and Levy caught her breath as she slumped against another couch.

She couldn't believe she told Cana about Gajeel. She wanted to tell the girls about him for the longest, and although Lucy would have teased her and make her take the whole ordeal a tad bit less seriously, Levy had truly craved Cana's input and perspective. Cana was so experienced when it came to this game, and both women and men formed into putty in the palms of Cana's hands. Levy had always wanted to ask Cana for advice when it came to Gajeel, but unfortunately it was up to Levy alone to solve the puzzle to the mysterious man.

She'd ached to ask Cana for all types of answers to her ridiculous questions that ranged from sex, figuring out how to sort her bustling emotions, and most importantly if Levy even had a chance with one of Fiore's most wanted criminals. Sure they had something blossoming between the two of them, but Levy was longing for more, something more than sex. And she couldn't believe it, but possibly something more intimate as well. Like the night in the hotel room, which was in the not so distant past but felt like years ago.

Levy started down at the heavy gun in her hand and at the two bullets that remained in it. It was always in critical, life threatening situations that she thought back on Gajeel. She felt her heart swell up and her fingertips grow numb from holding her gun so tightly; she was trembling now, and she knew if she didn't play her cards right she wouldn't be the only one injured if not dead. Mira was out of ammo, Cana had perfect aim but there was only so many bullets she could shoot, and then there was Gajeel, and God knows how he was holding up. Levy hadn't ever seen Lily since she got there, and now her heart pained for the sweet and loyal companion to the man who was starting to become something more beloved to her. She could explain Gajeel in detail to Cana later, but for now she'd worry about protecting him.

Levy knew to get out of this situation she'd had to push Cana's anger and her own bustling emotions aside and focus on staying alive. She had two bullets left and would have to use hem sparingly until reinforcements arrived. Perhaps she could hide out here forever, or find some lounge once her ammo was all used up, but she couldn't think of anything else to do. Levy's heart stopped when something fell yards in front of her like dead weight, and she shrieked when it crashed against the broken glass and tables, bleeding out as he lied there unconscious.

There was silence then, a sickly silence that seemed foreign in the club; Levy hadn't noticed someone had shut off the music eventually, and the only thing left was to distract her we're the neon lights and the sporadic strobe lights that came on every couple of minutes, making things teleport around her in the on-and-off flashes of light. However, despite the dim lighting illuminating her environment, she could recognize her friend from anywhere.

"Lily!" Levy shrilled as she ran impulsively to the man who was shot down from the second floor. That was her biggest mistake, as she had practically planted a target on herself. The shooting resumed once Levy was out in the open, and her eyes widened as she awaited death; she couldn't control her legs, she couldn't stop herself from running, she couldn't think, she was paralyzed in a sense from the shock of seeing Lily's limp body and the bullets whizzing around her— she was finally snapped out of her daze when someone rammed into her and shoved her to the ground.

Cana? Levy thought to herself worriedly, and she didn't care about who it was, all she cared about was Lily. He was Gajeel's partner, he's important to him, and if Lily was in trouble that could have meant Gajeel was hurt, too. Levy was frantic now, she was screaming out and trying to push the person off of her, and it was obvious then that it wasn't Cana's curvy frame, but someone large and well built. She panicked then, and when her wrists were tightly pinned to the ground below her, her eyes snapped away from Lily and stared wide eyed at the man holding her down. Her breath hitched when Gajeel's simmering stare glared down at her.

It wasn't just his beautiful ruby eyes that made her heart beat uncontrollably, after the two of them had fallen over Gajeel broke her fall by wrapping his arms around her, and the outcome had resulted in the two of them ending up intimately close. Levy couldn't snap herself out of her daze, all she could think about was what Mira had said, about Gajeel coming her only for her when it was only Lily stationed for this job. This made her think back to that scene in the alleyway when Gajeel had confessed her feelings— everything was tying in now and Levy didn't know how to think about it, all she knew was that she couldn't figure out the feelings swarming in her chest.

Gajeel was the first to snap out of his gaze, where he had momentarily been hypnotized by Levy as he quickly analyzed her for any injuries. He'd thrown her over to safety out of instinct, and he touched her up pretty badly, he hadn't of meant it. When he was reassured that she was okay, and was staring back at that wide eyed look she wore so often, his brows furrowed and he turned considerably angry.

Levy was snapped out of her lustful gaze when Gajeel shot her a rather rude scowl in her opinion, and she counteracted with the same angered glare.

"What do you think you're doing?!" The two of them yelled out at each other at the same time, however Levy was far more flustered in comparison to Gajeel's outrage.

"My job!" Gajeel grounded out as he kept Levy low to the ground. Any glass left on the bar ledge was now exploding around them, and Gajeel quickly shielded Levy from the threatening shards that landed on them. "You shoulda left the moment the shooting started! Why did ya think it was a good idea to stay here?!"

"Wow, didn't know the show came with a lecture!" Levy snapped as she propped herself on her elbows and put her face right into Gajeel's. "I'm a police officer whether I'm in uniform or not! I have a gun, and I'm doing my part— now are you gonna get off of me or should I keep explaining myself?!" Gajeel was visibly taken aback by Levy's sharp tone, which was expected in a situation this chaotic, but still he couldn't stop but feel shaken whenever Levy was angry with him. "Why do you keep babying me, Gajeel? I'm just as capable of fighting as you are!"

Her words struck something in him then, and he pushed off of her some to get a better look at her, and as the glass showered around him and his eyes grew darker Gajeel gritted his teeth at her.

"Because I care about you, damnit!" Gajeel managed to roar out, though he never meant to say that to her. It had came out of no where, and with the loud music and threatening gun shots coming from all over, he didn't have room in his mind to sort out what was acceptable to say to her. Levy's eyes widened and now she was the one clearly taken aback; her mouth was left ajar as her words remained in the back of her throat, but before she could figure out a response a bullet whizzed dangerously close to her head. Gajeel pressed himself over her firmly once more, and now with the bar almost completely deteriorated, there wasn't time for anymore arguing.

"Gajeel!" Levy cried out when she noticed he blood that had pressed against his skin; she hadn't realized it before and she couldn't believe he hid it so well until now. The red darkened the crisp white shirt beneath him, and he didn't respond to her sudden distress. "You've been hurt," Levy's voice came out shakier than it was before, and her attention the came to the way his skin was slicked wet with sweat, how his movements were delayed and he was staggering around, and his short, hollow breaths. Gajeel was silent in reply, for he didn't have anything to tell her, nothing good at least.

"We can't stay here much longer," he informed her as he pushed himself off of her. Levy noticed a blush that streaked he high ends of his face, but it was quickly dying down. He found her staring at him blankly, and he gritted his teeth at the sight of her. He took only a split moment to allow himself to take in her current state. He mostly observed her for any injuries she wasn't aware of, but for now her headband was missing and cornflower bangs brushed over her eyebrows, her skirt was tattered and her face was flushed. The gun in her hand was a toy in his eyes but it would have to do. They didn't really have any other choice.

"That thing loaded, Levy?" He asked her as he pulled himself to one knee and checked his weapons.

"Mmm," She nodded in response. "Two bullets, but it'll have to do."

Gajeel huffed in relief, "Good, we're gonna need it."

"But what about Lily?"

The sudden tension that blanketed Gajeel could only mean bad news. "He'll manage," Gajeel said uncomfortable, but there was still confidence to his voice as he knew deep down Lily would be okay. He was strong guy, but Lily dragging himself to safety was unsettling to Gajeel, and he knew once Levy was secured to safety he'd had to go help him.

"Listen Levy," Gajeel started darkly as he raised his weapon high, "I ain't the kinda guy who'll ever try to belittle ya." He kept his eyes planted stern to the ground, and the whole thing had set Levy completely off guard, and now all of her attention was turned to him. Gajeel met her eyes, and with a serious demeanor spoke his mind. "But there ain't no way in Hell I'm gonna let ya try to prove some stupid point and get yerself killed! This isn't about proving yourself anymore, Lev, at this point it's about staying alive. You shouldn't be here!"

"I know that, Gajeel!" Levy's voice startled him as it came out so fierce, but truth be told Levy was not angry with him. She had realized long before Gajeel saved her that this wasn't the typical gang shoot outs that popped around the rougher parts of Magnolia; this was a full on intended massacre, and who they were after was Mira. From the massive amount of shooting it seemed evident that there had to have been more than twenty men here, and Levy had only taken down three of them. Even with the odds against her, and the six of them terribly out numbered, it just wasn't enough to justify abandoning him.

"I'm not gonna let you do this alone," Levy spoke sternly, planting her point and leaving no room for argument to grow.

"Levy," Gajeel practically pleaded, but his heart tugged when he saw her wide, determined eyes. He knew he wouldn't get anywhere with this, every time she had that look it was almost impossible to convince the stubborn girl anything other than what she believed.

"I'm not leaving your side," Levy continued, not budging despite Gajeel's eyes begging her to do otherwise.

"Humph," Gajeel scoffed with a mudslide of a grin. His back pressed against the bar and the many bottles that lines the shelves underneath it. "I'm starting to think you love to see me worried." His words were meant to be taken gently and with a tad bit of humor, but his tangled hair, skin sleek with sweat and tattered clothing made his appeal anything but humorous. He looked pretty beaten up, and it only made Levy's choice of staying with him all the more solid.

"We're gonna get out of this alive," Levy started optimistically, and she prepared herself to run for it. "Together," she added with a serious look. "Ready?"

"Ain't really got a choice, Shorty." Gajeel started, and he flashed her the best smile he could, which barely passed as a smile at all.

 **Laxus's boots crushed over** glass and splintered wood as he entered one of Magnolia's most popular night clubs. The place held fond memories as it was once owned by his grandfather, Makarov, as a side hobby, but was later passed down when he grew older and his profession took more and more energy out of him. Laxus has never seen it this destroyed, even during the rare bar shoot outs that happened twice in all the decades of Fairy Tail being established. This was a full blown massacre, and the death toll couldn't have been kept private even if he wanted to.

Every radio station and News Network was portraying what they claimed to be the worst shoot out Magnolia's even seen, and "mafia" was the favored word of choice that exploded across every screen across the city. Mavis remained pressed against a wall with her arms tightly crossed around her chest; she loved this place more than anyone, Laxus knew that, so he was surprised when she looked indifferent and calm during her questioning. Perhaps she was expecting it. Laxus passed the main entrance and towards the back of the establishment, where the paramedics had came in to assist the member who was most injured, Lily.

Hanging from the side obviously concerned was Levy, and Laxus's chest tightened at the shape she was in. She was covered in blood— whose blood he didn't know. She wrung her fingers, something she always did when she was anxious, and watched as they patched Lily up and placed him on a stretcher. She was so consumed in making sure he was okay that she jumped considerably when Laxus crept up behind her.

"Laxus!" She was startled, and she placed a hand over her heart as she calmed herself down.

"Why am I not surprised to see you here? Seems like every major event has you right in the center of it, causing havoc." Laxus started disapprovingly, though he was disappointed nor mad with Levy. He was worried, but he couldn't let that show more than he already has.

Levy smiled nervously and allowed Laxus to pull her to the side. The reinforcements cleared the place up in no time. With the police surrounding the building, escape was almost impossible; any criminals who weren't dead were handcuffed and placed under arrest. Levy watched the many men as she tried to recognize faces or at least tried to remember them. It wouldn't work, however, given her chest still squeezed painfully for Gajeel who'd disappeared while he could. She worried about his safety, and as she kept her eyes to the ground she tried not to show how visibly upset she was.

"Huh," Laxus started. "Didn't think you'd ever come out of hiding."

"Huh?" Levy asked when she looked up to Laxus, only to find Gajeel with his hand pressed against his injury and his eye now visibly swollen in the fluorescent lighting. Levy's heart hammered against her chest when Gajeel and Laxus made eye contact, but she was even more worried about the way Gajeel slouched over, clearly injured.

"Smart choice, with an injury like that I wouldn't suggest you trying to fix it on your own." Laxus huffed at Gajeel in a way that was anything but concerned. Levy suppressed the urge to help him, to same something reassuring, and she had no idea what Laxus knew and didn't. For the time being Gajeel was merely a spy for the mafia, but perhaps Makarov told Laxus he was something else? Laxus wasn't a very trusting person, and from the way he glared intensely at Gajeel it was clear the injured man wasn't on his nice list.

"I'm here for Lil, wouldn't abandon him like that." Gajeel coughed loudly and refused to look at Levy. "What the Hell are ya lookin' at?" He asked Laxus when the blonde didn't turn away from him.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you some questions," Laxus continued, just as Cana stepped out into the scene in front of Levy, with a guilty look and eyes the pleaded forgiveness. Levy's heart sunk into her stomach then, and a swarm of emotions ranging from betrayal to anxiety took over her. This couldn't be good, and Gajeel's eyes narrowed at that, but he nodded in agreement, anyway.

 **A/N:** I know this chapter is literally all over the place but I've finally hit a really bad writers block. Things should run smoothly from now, and as always thank you for reading!

 **Up next:**

Levy finds herself in trouble with Makarov for spilling the beans about Gajeel.

Unfortunately, she finds herself in even worse problems when a job takes a wrong turn, and Levy's act of heroism puts her in more danger than she can handle, but maybe this predicament is just what Gajeel needs to tell Levy exactly how he feels.

Oh and LOTS of Gajevy romance to come!!!


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:** Hey everyone! Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews that were left on the last chapter, they made me sooo happy and I could never thank you enough for reading. You guys spoil me, you're so wonderful, please enjoy!

 **Chapter 13**

 **The small shot glass nearly shattered** as it was slammed down onto the rich, honey wood of the grand desk. An exasperated sigh rocketed out of Cana as she exclaimed "ahhh" and slung herself backward against her seat. "Oh wow!" Cana cheered enthusiastically as red streaked across the apples of her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. "That was great— oh, I really needed that! The master always has the best stuff!"

Cana grinned cheekily as she bounced her head side to side to a happy tune that only she could hear. She was on her second bottle, and Levh hadn't ever seen Cana so easily under the influence, perhaps the Master had snuck something else into the once ferocious woman's drink. She was seething when she had first initially walked in, but knowing Cana since she was an orphan, the Master knew exactly how to ease her emotions.

"I would hope it was good, considering what you just gulped down nearly cost me three hundred dollars," Makarov sighed as he rubbed one of his temples, and he tried not to kick off the many shot glasses littering the desk he sat on top of rather than behind. Besides a joyous Cana who was opening her third bottle— which was even bigger than the last one— the Master's attention turned to behind the drunk's shoulders and to the sullen couple that stood many feet apart with their heads hanging low.

Levy's lip quivered as she played with her hair nervously, red as a beet, but more flushed than usual. She was more nervous than flustered however, and she remained silent and to herself during the netting. Gajeel on the other hand only looked inconvenienced, and he kept his hands in his pockets and stared at nothing in particular, he looked bored even. Still, the Master knew that the man had lots of wondering thoughts on his mind, and even Gajeel's threatening glare couldn't hide that.

"Levy," Makarov started, which made the blunette visibly jump where she stood. He gave her a pitied look, as he tried to be sympathetic, but his migraine was intensifying by the second. "There's no beating around the bush with this one. You're bad at this, Levy. I mean, really bad at this."

Levy felt as if she'd been stabbed in the chest, and now with every pair of eyes in the room glued on her she felt herself melt into the floor. Perhaps she wouldn't have been so humiliated if it were just Cana and Mira here, but that wasn't the case. Having Gajeel only feet away from her as she was getting lectured was beyond embarrassing; it was already hard enough that everyone in the room knew they had something going on, and after hearing what Mira told her the night before, Levy couldn't bare even looking at him.

"I had to tell Cana, she was going to kill him otherwise." Levy defended herself, and she stood tall as she spoke her mind. She tried to suppress her emotions so her feelings wouldn't be evident in her voice, but it was futile. She might as well had confessed her burning love for Gajeel, given how passionate her claim was. Mira and Cana exchanged looks, and Gajeel stiffened up significantly, now less inconvenienced and bored than he was prior to Levy's outburst.

To hide how effected he was, Gajeel scoffed from beside her and Levy's immediate attention turned to the man who failed to suppress his grin.

"What's so funny?" Levy asked sharply, with her hands balled into fists at either side of her.

Gajeel flashed her a smile that made her heart flutter. "I find it insulting that you think someone like Cana could kill me," he answered.

The drunk slammed her shot glass down. "What the Hell is that supposed to mean? I can still kill you right now if I wanted too—," she pulled out her gun and aimed it at Gajeel— "how about I prove it to ya right now!" She hiccuped and turned to the Master with a lopsided grin, "Master, may I?" She asked, and her polite was unsettling given Levy hardly saw it nowadays.

"Huh." Gajeel started, not the least threatened by Cana. "Fucking do it, you drunk, I dare you." Gajeel's voice was menacing, and if Levy wasn't panicking before she was ever more on the ledge now. Luckily, however, Makarov spoke up.

"Now, now, enough of this. If you're gonna kill each other do it outside, the repairs here would cost a fortune." Makarov spun a finger in the air to reference to his office space near the top floor of the towering building. "I mean could you imagine?" He cleared his throat, and Cana rolled her eyes before facing Makarov and turning her back to the couple. "Anyway, we've bickered long enough. C'mon Levy, its time for your punishment. C'mere and get your spanking and then we can all go home and forget this ever happened." He started with a cheesey grin and a hand patting on his lap.

Levy covered her face with her hands, mortified, but luckily she was defended.

"Master, stop being such a pervert, you're making me angry." Mira pouted as she crossed her arms over her chest. She winced slightly from the wound near her shoulder, but just slightly. "Besides, even if Cana is someone we can trust, her knowing about Gajeel has complicated everything!"

"Well what do you want me to do?" Makarov asked lazily, not taking this whole situation as seriously as everyone thought he would. Levy was grateful for his calmness, any more pressure on her and she'd crack. Levy sighed in relief, but it caught in her chest when she heard a snicker escape the man next to her.

"Don't go easy on her Master, I think she deserves it," Gajeel wiped his grin off and crossed his arms over his chest. "You need to put the big mouth in time out, or else the blonde will eventually know too."

Levy was on fire then; Gajeel really wasn't helping. Little did she know, Gajeel was only trying to get a rise out of her, and it was so painfully evident to the others in the room that he was flirting with her. "Oh do you ever shut up?" She practically screamed, taking his bait and reacting just how he wanted, which made the Master pinch the bridge of his nose and for Cana to sigh. "You're in just as trouble as I am! Maybe if you wouldn't worry about me all the time and didn't risk your life to make sure I was okay, Cana wouldn't have seen you in the first place!"

Gajeel was speechless, he couldn't believe Levy would put him on blast like that. That was some crucial information she was spitting out, had she no idea how hard it was to even admit he cared about her? And to make things worse he didn't want to just deny it, either. It was the truth.

"I have no idea what yer talking about," Gajeel mumbled with an obvious blush, and he refused to look her in the eyes.

"How about I refresh your memory then?!" Levy offered with a furrowed look, and now the two of them were really bickering.

"Yeah," Cana turned away from the scene and nodded at Mira and Makarov who were in front of her. She swished the remaining alcohol in her glass around in a circle. "They're an absolute lost cause." She sighed as she leaned sideways in her seat and wrapped an arm around the back of her chair. "Looks like you're gonna have to lock Levy up in the office before she tells all of Magnolia about her and Gajeel."

"Cana you're not helping!" Levy screamed out as she finally snapped out of Gajeel's taunting. "If it weren't for you being such a tattle-tale we all wouldn't even be here!"

"You should be thanking me," Cana started, with a tone in her voice that hinted she was a tad bit insulted. "I was looking out for my friend and making sure she wasn't getting head-over-heels over a murderer! If you randomly found out Lucy and I or anyone for that matter was falling in love with some from the Mafia of all damn places, would you just nod your head and be okay with it? We're police officers, Levy, and you're dating someone who I assumed was associated with the largest crime lord in Magnolia."

Cana knew she was right because Levy and everyone in the room went quiet.

"Besides the point," Cana continued as she finished her drink, "it was Laxus who snitched on you. I was getting ready to shoot the jerk down again— successful this time —but Laxus stopped me. Kinda gave me the inside scoop while you were checking on Lily. I'm not the one who got you in trouble, trust me, if the alcohol wasn't good Makarov would have never heard from me and I definitely wouldn't be here."

"That's kinda rude..." Makarov started sheepishly but he was easily ignored.

Mira placed her hands together as she cheerfully smiled, overlooking Cana's bitterness and her drunken state that made her brutally honest. "Cana's right! Lock me up with Levy too, I wanna learn more about her scandalous tales! I can't wait to gossip to Lily about all of this! I mean, he kinda knows but there's so much I have to catch him up on when he's feeling better!"

"You've got to be kidding me," Levy pressed a hand to her face just thinking about all of this. Mira wasn't surprising, but to find out Lily had participated in his fair share of gossip was a shocker for Levy.

"Okay, okay, perhaps things are getting a little out of hand," Mira started as she waved her hands in front of her, pushing her excitement aside and taking a more professional turn on this situation. "I think things could be worse, I mean, Cana is on our side and she's very responsible. I think she'll keep it a secret for sure."

"30,000 Joules a month from the both of ya or I'm reporting it to Sorcerer Weekly," Cana started as she half-hiccuped, half-chuckled.

"Yer so fucking full of it," Gajeel snapped, but he was silenced when Makarov raised a hand.

"We're all aware that we have to keep this a secret," Makarov nodded at his crew, and now that the Master was glowering and serious everyone stood up a bit straighter and took the situation more seriously. "This isn't a joking matter, the relationship Gajeel and Levy have could be detrimental for our case. If Gajeel is found out, that's it for our inside intel on Ivan. Not to mention, it could very much end both of their lives, and to our knowledge, not peacefully."

The mentioning of the couple's fate made everyone in the room stiffen uncomfortably. Cana had tensed up the most, and it was obvious that Levy was very important to her. She set her glass down gently this time, and with a calm matter spoke up. "We'll make sure that doesn't happen, sir. I'll do everything in my power to make sure Levy is safe."

"Cana..." Levy started as her chest warmed up at how sweet that was. Cana flashed her a smile that the two of them shared happily.

Gajeel was bitter. "Yeah, keep Levy safe, sure. I'll just go ahead and die 'cause fuck me, right?"

"Shut up, Gajeel, I'm still onto you. Something about you is fishy, and I'll take ya down myself if I have to," Cana huffed, but it wasn't that she necessarily disliked Gajeel. Deep down her attitude for him probably had to originate from her over-protectiveness of Levy, and she honestly couldn't shake the feeling that her little sister was finally growing up. It terrified her, but she wouldn't butt her head into Levy's life. She just couldn't shake that anxious feeling. Gajeel's scowl didn't ease her nerves either, and the glowering, tall, closed off man looked menancing and bad news for her friend.

Makarov shook his head as he realized this wasn't getting the group anywhere. For the first half hour they had all taken it very seriously, but now Cana was intoxicated and the couple couldn't stop flirting, so all the Master was left with was Mira who gave him a sweet, sympathetic smile. "Well, brats, for now you're all dismissed." Makarov decided to end things here, and Gajeel and Levy immediately pushed away from each other and stood alert as if their little scene had never happened.

 **ooo**

 **Although the meeting was over** and the couple left with only a small scolding, Gajeel still had to deal with Levy's anger. Clearly she wasn't amused, even when he tried to be extra kind to her by holding the door open and asking if she wanted to go anywhere, just nice things that he could think of at the top of his head. All was in vain, however, given she put her nose in the air and stormed right past him without even a thank you.

"C'mon Shorty, lighten up a little." Gajeel teased. Levy was stomping out of the office and slamming her frustration into the elevator's control panel. Gajeel caught the doors just before they closed shut between them, and he stepped into the elevator where Levy was steaming in a corner. Her arms were folded tightly against her chest and she scrunched her face up as she scowled at the wall, and all Gajeel could think was how cute she was when she was angry. "Shorty, why are you so upset?" Gajeel asked with a cheesy grin, but when something saddened her simmering look and softened it a bit, Gajeel wiped his smile off. "Levy," he started with a more delicate voice.

"You embarrassed me," she grumbled and a blush flushed over her, and she hated how childish she sounded, with her voice all grumbly and cute. She was being serious, but she couldn't help but feel so lightheaded about the whole ordeal. "You weren't any help back there, you really made me mad."

"I'm sorry, Lev, I was just picking on ya to lighten the mood a little. Ya looked like ya were gonna self destruct." He watched her carefully when she didn't look at him, and he released the breath caught in his chest. "Is that really what this is about?" Gajeel asked. Sure he teased her, but it wasn't Levy's typical behavior to react so sour about it.

Levy bit down on her lip; Gajeel knew her better than she thought he did. She walked towards him, her stomach flipping from the elevator descending through so many floors, and stopped only inches away from him. Her hand came up slowly and her fingers grazed over his shirt. She could feel the gauze, and Gajeel flinched so slightly that many wouldn't have caught it, but Levy didn't have to look at his face to notice how his eyes narrowed when he winced. All she observed was her slender finger against his dark clothing, glowing almost in contrast, and the nasty injury that laid behind it.

"I'm gonna be okay, Shorty." Gajeel asserted, already understanding her discomfort. "This is somethin' I've been through before, so there's really nothing to worry about."

"It's a little too late for that. I'm the reason you got hurt." Levy's teeth clenched, and the sharpness to her voice made Gajeel's eyes widen.

"No, yer not." Gajeel replied just as sternly. That was the last thing he wanted her to think, he got hurt on his own, and it's because he wanted to protect her. He placed his hand over her's, and pressed her palm against him a bit tighter. "I got hurt because I wanted to make sure you were safe. Ya worry too much, Lev, ya worry yerself sick when ya shouldn't."

"I do not!" Levy defended herself. "I-I'm not even that worried, I just feel bad because it was my fault." Levy crossed her arms and turned away from him.

"Earlier in the office you blamed this whole thing on me. Why the change of heart?" Gajeel asked her, and Levy visibly tensed up in front of him. "Ya don't have to say it in front of yer friends, but ya can admit in front of me that ya worry yer head off about me."

"You're being absurd!" Levy practically yelled, and she pushed past him once the elevator doors slid open. She tried to walk away from this confrontation, but Gajeel caught up with her quickly.

"Am I lying?" Gajeel asked, and he stepped in front of her once Levy made it to the parking garage. "Ya risked yer life to stop Cana from shootin' me. What would I have done if ya actually got yerself hurt?"

"All you have to do is thank me, you don't have to make such a big deal about it!" Levy bit, and she tried to walk past him, but again Gajeel stepped in the way.

"The last thing I want is for you to get hurt because of someone like me," Gajeel admitted then, and Levy's angered expression changed to something more surprised. "I'd rather take the damage for ya. You... you don't deserve it. Ya... ya don't deserve anything bad, Levy." Gajeel's voice crumpled down and he almost mumbled it, but what was important was that he spoke from the heart. Levy was practically speechless, but she knew she had to say something, she couldn't look at him completely shocked forever.

"I did it because it was right," Levy explained, not sure of how to truly express her feelings. She was used to being the one who had more control of how she felt, so now that Gajeel was being so open about this was scaring her. She wasn't ready to confess anything, and now her heart was beating so hard she didn't know what to think or do.

"We almost died, Levy. There's no more beating around the bush with this kinda thing. Ya care more about me than you'd like to admit, don't you?" Gajeel started, and he focused on Levy and the way her eyes deepened at his words. There was silence as everyone observed the way Levy's mouth dropped to the floor. Levy couldn't tell if he was pestering her or really prying for some type of confession. Either way, this was not the place for it.

"I was just concerned for your safety, I don't worry about you all the time, don't be so full of yourself." Levy argued, and she was completely oblivious to how deep that cut him, and he felt his body simmer with both humiliation and surprisingly pain. Levy lied right through her teeth, but why else would she tell Gajeel she worried about him every second? He wasn't her lover, her boyfriend, they hadn't established anything, and if she did claim that she did tremendously care about him what would he do with that information? He'd be burdened by the fact that he'd worry her to death, from the sound of it he already felt bad.

"I don't believe ya." Gajeel started, and he closed the distance between them until the tips of their noses barely brushed. "I don't know, Lev, a part of me finds that very hard to believe. I think ya care a lot."

"You don't know that," Levy started, completely at a loss for words now that Gajeel was so close to her. There was no way in Hell she was going to admit that so openly, not when he was prying at her like this. She had that nervous look again, where her eyebrows furrowed sadly and her face blossomed red. Gajeel sighed at that, she really did overheat herself constantly. She flinched when Gajeel's hand landed on her head before ruffling into her waves.

"Yer cute when yer in denial." Gajeel smiled then, and Levy's eyes widened considerably. "Hhmph. It's fine. I don't want ya caring too much about me anyway, so you have nothin' to worry about."

"Yeah, well good cause I won't!" Levy cried out sadly, and all her emotions were evident on her face, she couldn't hide anything with him. "I hate you," she pouted, and she pushed away from him. "I really hate you."

"Ya don't," Gajeel challenged, flashing a smile she refused to look at, but knew existed given she could hear it shining in his voice as she walked away from him.

"If this is the case then... I don't want to worry you either, Gajeel. Please don't worry about me." Levy stated, and she flashed him a saddened look. This felt like a breakup more than anything, and the two of them weren't even an item.

"I could never promise you that, Levy." Gajeel admitted, and his honesty shocked both of them. Levy stood there with wide eyes, and her heart was beating so fast she didn't believe there was any way she could calm it down. They could go back and forth forever at this point, admitting to each other how they felt without confessing anything at all. It was dangerous to be out in public like this, but nothing in Levy wanted to leave him.

Her heart was tugging in so many different directions, she wanted to scream at the top of her lungs that yes, he was so important to her, she did worry herself sick when it came to his safety; the other part of her wanted to crawl up into a ball and hide, bury her face in her pillow to steam off how flustered she was from this entire conversation. She was so torn between confessing her love and denying it, all because she simply feared how Gajeel would react to her feelings. Now wasn't the time, her knees were buckling and her breathing hollowed, and she just couldn't find the strength to tell this man how she felt, even though he gave her every opportunity to do so.

"Gajeel," Levy spoke sternly, enough for him to stand straight in alert as if he'd just gotten caught getting into trouble. He jumped then, startled by her tone of voice.

"Y-yeah?" He asked worriedly to the woman a few yards away from him. Levy turned around slightly to look at him fully, and her eyes hardened.

"Don't get hurt again." She started, and her lip quivered slightly. "Please."

Gajeel felt breathless when her eyes pleaded him to stay safe, it clearly showed that she cared for him, and now his heart was racing too much for his own liking. There were so many things he could have said in response to that, but he fell speechless, and his hands tightened at his sides as he nodded at her shortly. . "S-sure thing." He replied, and suppressed the urge to palm himself in the face.

Levy's hardened expression softened then, and she even managed to crack a smile. She smoothed her hair out for a second but stopped when she realized she liked he way her hair came out after he ruffled it up. She continued onwards to her car.

 **Later on that Day**

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you snitch," Levy started as she turned her back to Cana, which was a bit difficult to do in the shot gun seat of the police car. They had been arguing about something pointless, and it was more of a debate if anything. Cana scoffed at the low blow and began bickering with her, but Levy was too busy shoving her nose into a book.

"—and by the way, you're on the job, so reading your dirty novels really isn't a good idea," Cana added to the argument.

"Huh, gonna tattle about this too?" Levy asked, getting a kick out of how annoyed Cana was getting.

"You're so full of it," Cana started. "You're lucky I'm even looking out for you, and you're lucky I convinced Laxus it wasn't all your fault. You coulda seriously gotten into trouble, and honestly I wouldn't be surprised if Laxus shot both of you."

"Yeah, Yeah, I know, I know. Laxus wants to kill me even when I'm not getting into stuff." Levy sighed as she licked her thumb and turned the page of her book, "he's such a big lump, I wish he wouldn't breathe down my neck all the time."

"Well with how nosey you're being with this mafia stuff, who'd blame him? I think he needs to watch you better." Cana groaned as she placed a hand to her forehead.

"Huh, I could say the same about you." Levy said with a big smile, and she leaned back and got comfortable as she tried to find where she left off in her book before Cana distracted her. "Laxus needs to keep a better watch on you, especially since you like to sneak alcohol into the station when he's not looking. I could remember how red he turned the last time he caught you— oh my God, and when you said—," Both Levy's laughter and Cana's outburst cut off her story telling.

"Hey, fuck you, Lev, you promised not to ever bring that up again," Cana cried out with an obvious blush on her face. "Ugh, stop pestering me, please, I'm trying to drive us safely."

Levy's laughter subsided as she successfully won the conversation. "Whatever, you started it." She chirped, in which Cana rolled her eyes. However, both of the girls snapped into a serious demeanor when the radio started reacting like crazy, and now Cana was adjusting in her seat and Levy was pushing her book into one of the car's compartments.

"I'm going to need back up," A familiar voice filled the vehicle. The two girls exchanged looks.

"That's Lucy," Levy was alerted, and she turned the volume up higher, and her eyes widened as she heard Lucy's very quick and vague "details" to what was happening, which couldn't be good. "Sounds like she's really in trouble."

"No kidding, girl sounds like she's about to have a break down..." Cana listened intently, "That's right around the corner," Cana mentioned, and the two girls gave each other firm nods before taking things into action.

"We're only a block away," Levy spoke into her transceiver, and she gave Cana a thumb up when they were granted permission to investigate.

In about two minutes their vehicle pulled up to the curb of a cute, humble neighborhood hidden within the heart of Magnolia. Brick walkways and iron fences led to what would have been an adorable family home. Unfortunately, the two-story light green house was swamped by cop cars and the ruthless, violent flames reaching out of the left-open windows did not add to it's sweet, modern charm.

Levy's eyes widened at what she saw, and before Cana could cut the engine she immediately spotted Lucy's golden hair illuminated by the nearby flames. She was assisting a man that was crouched over on the ground, his hands making fists as they clawed the raw Earth before him. Levy ran as quickly as she could to shorten the distance between them, and once she made it to Lucy, the man had retched up the contents of his stomach, which caused both girls to instinctively turn away.

"Oh God, Levy," Lucy sobbed, taking Levy's attention away from the sickly man. Lucy shook her head as she tried her best to squeeze away tears, but it didn't prevent a few drops from rolling down her reddened cheeks. "What they did— it's horrible."

"What happened?" Levy asked, and she silently gasped when the man was turned over and revealed his horridly swollen face. "Oh no..." Levy started, and she fell to one knee and tried to assist the man who was growing weaker by the second. He could hardly hold himself up.

"It was a home invasion gone horrible wrong, or maybe they'd wanted it to go this way all along." Lucy explained with narrowed eyes, simmering at the injustice of it all. "How anyone could do this is beyond me."

"Did anyone catch the guys who did it?" Levy asked with a hopeful tone in her voice.

"That's what Juvia and her partner are doing right now." Lucy explained as she moved out of the way for the paramedics. "This is bad, really bad."

Levy gulped at the sound of that, and she turned to the man who had now fallen unconscious. She couldn't recognize him even if she wanted to. Lucy's eyes widened at something behind her shoulder, and she cried out, "Natsu!"

Levy looked behind herself to find Natsu carrying a fair skinned woman outside of the burning house. She was sobbing hysterically, so badly she could hardly speak, and Lucy immediately ran over in hopes of assisting the woman. The green haired woman kicked out of Natsu's hold with all her might, and he allowed her to spill over the freshly mowed grass, right in front of Levy.

"No, stop, stop! I have to go back! Let me go back!" She shrieked out, but Natsu stepped in front of the woman and refused to let her re-enter the home.

"Please ma'am, it's not safe to go back in there, the house is completely in flames!" Lucy shouted the obvious, but she had no idea what else she was supposed to tell the woman to make her not bolt right into the building.

"The fire departments on their way," Natsu explained, hoping this would convince her to remain where she was on the front lawn.

"My baby is in that house!" The woman sobbed, and her dark eyes pleaded them to let her through, her nails clawed into Natsu's uniform shirt and tears strummed her eyes. "Asuka is in there—," she sobbed even harder, and she fell to her knees just thinking about it. "Asuka is—," she wailed, and her shoulders hunched in defeat.

"Where is she?" Natsu asked, but his voice was uncertain, and from the flicker in his eyes he looked almost hopeless. There's no telling how long the fire had been spreading, clearly long enough for the entire place to be a ticking time bomb before it lost all structure and caved in.

"I-I don't know, she was hiding during the break in," the woman stumbled, and her eyes widened at all the horrible scenarios rushing through her head. "I don't know where she is— I don't know," she sobbed, and she covered her face as she wailed loudly, so loud that even Cana could hear it from her spot on the curb where she gathered information from the other officers. "I- I put her in the closet," She cried as she could clear her head momentarily.

"You have to go back in there," Lucy started as she turned to Natsu. "You used to be a fire fighter, you know what you're doing."

"I hate to break it to ya, Luce, but that house is only seconds away from caving in!" Natsu yelled. "I barely got out alive with her— there's no telling what could happen in there—," but Natsu ceased when he spotted Levy bolting towards the entry way of the house.

"Levy, no!" Natsu shrieked as he reached out for her, but it was too late. Her blue hair disappeared behind thick, threatening smoke clouds that bellowed out of the doorway. Levy ignored Cana's distraught cry, and Levy only stopped once she reached the stairway which led her into four different directions. She felt as if someone had swiftly punched her in the chest, and she hunched over as she gasped for air and coughed uncontrollably. She covered her mouth and nose with her sleeve and weighed out her options.

She could go up the flight, or she could search the bottom floor first. The left was the dining room, the right the sitting room, and if she went straight, she'd find the living room and kitchen. As Levy picked her route, she picked up a high pitch squeal from behind her.

"Levy, it isn't safe in there! You have to come back!" Lucy shouted.

"Lucy, get out of here!" Levy ordered, but her message was not successful as a large supporting beam had crashed between them, and now even if Levy wanted to escape the flames of the home she'd have a rather difficult time doing so. The ceiling had collapsed in front of her, and the front doorway was completely cut off by shattered boards and hungry flames that quickly engulfed them. Levy gulped and turned back to her options; now with the fresh air closed off, she could truly embrace the sweltering heat of the home. She felt as if she was being baked alive, and she tucked her face into her shirt as it was painful to even breathe in, the heat left her mouth dry and parched, and her eyes teared up as she felt as if she were breathing in fire.

She fell to her knees quickly as she grew light headed, and she knew she was going to have to work fast unless she wanted to be a victim to the fire as well. She climbed the stairs as quickly as she could, and the carpet lining the wood was burning to the touch. She hissed as she made it all the way up, and now she was left with an even more terrifying scenery. Thick smoke conquered the upstairs hallway, and in the depths of night the house was already dark enough as it was. A few lights remained on, but did little justice as Levy remained close to the floor in hopes of searching for a small girl.

"Asuka—!" Levy cried the girl's name before screaming as more fire fell down towards her.

She used all her might to push open the door to a small bathroom. No luck, and now she was feeling exhausted from the heat, and sweat slicked her skin wet as she was almost drenched, the liquid stinging her eyes as she continued to move forward. She couldn't imagine being in here any longer than she had been, which so far was only five or so minutes, and now she was feeling hopeless like Natsu had earlier. It was just that bad, but she refused to let herself give up, not after she saw the way that woman cried, the fear in her eyes when everyone refused to rescue her child.

"Asuka!" Levy shrieked out. "Asuka, can you hear me? I'm here to help!" Levy tried again, hoping her voice could reach over the crackling flames and whatever structure the child was taking cover in. Her hands were burning as she pushed through doors, and although she followed all precautions in her training it was no use. She dropped to the ground and used all her might to kick open the door, but she was at a lost, there was something blocking it, and now if she didn't use the door knob she wouldn't be able to get in.

Levy knew it was a stupid choice, but she was running out of time. She rammed her shoulder into the door, and grabbed the metal of the knob. Her fingerless gloves were useless in this case, despite protecting her palms she clenched her teeth as her finger tips made contact with the scorching heat. She cried out as she fell to the ground, and she pushed pass the pain and felt relieved when the dresser pressed against the door spilled to the floor.

Levy picked herself off the ground, and she winced and fell into a silent cry as pain shot up her hands. Everything around her burned to the touch, and although she felt as if she'd pass out any second from the smoke inhalation, she was still very aware of the excruciating pain. She cradled up into a ball then and tensed every muscle in her body, anything she could do to seethe out the agony of her burnt hands. Every surface in this home was melting hot, and she knew she'd have to take a lot more damage if she wanted to save the young girl.

"Asuka!" She shrilled our desperately, and miraculously she heard the faintest cry coming from down the hallway.

"Mommy?" A little voice barely reached her ears in a whimper, and now Levy's eyes were widening as hope filled them. There was another door within the bedroom, and she could almost swear she'd heard it from there. The pain subsided as adrenaline rushed through her, and she picked herself off the floor and crawled towards the sound.

"Asuka, keep calling out! Where are you?! Let me know where you are!" Levy screamed out as she checked another doorway, which led to a little girl's room. She braced herself for the fire that rushed out towards her, begging to drag her into their flames. Levy squeezed her eyes shut and turned her face away from the blistering heat, and as things subsided, Levy was in another restroom, which connected to another bedroom. Even in the destruction she could pick out the soft pink carpet, and she knew she had found Asuka's bedroom.

"Asuka!" Levy wailed.

"Mommy!" The little girl cried out, and the cry had come from the sliding white doors of a closet. Levy slammed them open to find a little girl on the floor, her knees tucked to her chest and her face red from the heat. "Mommy," she sobbed when she looked up at Levy.

"I-I'm not Mommy, I'm sorry," she started. "I'm here to help, cmon, we gotta get out of here."

"No!" The little girl shrilled, which completely threw Levy off guard. "Mommy told me to stay in here no matter what!" Asuka cried out as she pulled back. "I swore to her I'd stay in here, no matter what I heard, no matter what happened," Asuka cried heavily, "I- I heard Mommy crying, and Daddy crying, and the bad guys, and—," Asuka cried harder. "I'm not going!"

"But Asuka, sweetie," Levy started as she tried to stop herself from swiping the sweat off her face. "Your Mommy is outside worried about you, I know she meant what she said, but now the house is too dangerous for you to hide in. It's okay now, you don't want her to keep worrying, do you?"

The little girl tucked herself in harder and her shoulders shook as she sobbed. She hugged her knees to her chest and shook her head violently left and no.

Levy tried a different approach. "You miss her don't you? She misses you so much, and if you don't come down stairs to see her, she'll be sad." Levy felt the heat scorching her skin and the room around her started spinning. "Asuka, please." Levy begged weakly.

"I made a promise to Mommy," Asuka argued, anchoring herself to the floor and fighting Levy with everything she had. If Levy hadn't felt so weak and disoriented this would have been so much easier. Levy latched on to the little girl, but there wasn't anymore fighting, Asuka had already fallen over unconscious. Every alarm went off in Levy then, and she was slightly grateful that she wouldn't have to drag a kicking, resistant child down the stairs. Levy cradled Asuka to her side and began crawling out of the bedroom.

Levy had to stop shortly and catch her breath. She couldn't cover her face in this predicament, and her lungs burned as she breathed in the smoldering air, fresh fire and burning debris. She had to push forward, she had to do it for Asuka, for the crying mother downstairs. She gritted her teeth and pushed past the stinging in her eyes, her chest, fire— everything in her body felt as if it were lit on fire. "Don't worry, Asuka, we're gonna be okay." Levy reassured the lifeless girl, hoping that the encouraging words could reach her own ears as well.

She scraped down the stairs, trying her best to crouch all the way down to the main floor. Levy was grateful as she heard a banging sound, and the doorway was being broken through. Levy's vision was growing hazed as she saw the room spin around her, and everywhere she looked she found flames, dark, consuming clouds and no escape. She lost her balance and she fell down the remaining steps of stairs, holding Asuka tightly to keep the little girl safe. She was on glass and broken, splintering wood, and as she stared upwards at the ceiling a mask overcame her vision.

Levy's eyes fluttered as her body felt weightless, and strong hands lifted her up and dragged her out of the house. The fresh air that hit Levy's face physically stung as it was so sharp in contrast to the element she was engulfed in. Her lungs felt raw as she breathed in, and she coughed roughly as her whole body collapsed onto the lawn. The trembling mother tore Asuka out of her arms, and although she chanted "thank you" over and over, Levy couldn't acknowledge her over her coughing fit. She felt like she was going to retch, and she exploded in agony once her mind cleared and she could fully comprehend how much damage she took in that house.

"You saved her, you saved my baby, Asuka..." the mother sobbed as she pressed the child's face to her chest. "Oh, thank you so much, officer. Thank you." The woman cried, and she nuzzled her cheek into Asuka's dark, forest green hair.

Levy was on her knees and palms at this point, and although Natsu, Cana, and Lucy were all surrounding her and gathering paramedics to assist her, all Lucy could do was watch the way Asuka was cradled in her mother's arms, safe and sound. She was still breathing and that was all that mattered.

"Levy," Cana cried as she crouched down to her. "Please, please tell me you're okay." Cana begged, and it was the first time in a long time that Levy had seen her friend's strong, beautiful eyes ever swell with tears. "Levy!" Cana cried again when she was left with no response, and she gasped as Levy's body grew heavy and she fell sideways, just in time for Natsu to catch her before she hit the ground.

 **ooo**

 **It was late that evening,** and Gajeel had made it just in time for visiting hours. He marched through the sliding doors swiftly and kept his stare forward, avoiding any eye contact with the workers at the front desk, which made the middle aged women in scrubs whisper to one another uncomfortably. His shield was on again, as Lily called it, which meant he sent off an unsettling aura that warned people not to speak to him. His eyes were darkened with something sinister and his jaw jutted and teeth clamped shut as he scowled at nothing in particular.

The elevator seemed to take ages, and Gajeel pushed through the doors before they even fully opened. He didn't stop for a second until he was rapping his knuckles on the door for room 507, and he allowed himself. He sighed in relief to find Lily sitting in bed, reading a novel of all things. At least he was awake and able to comprehend the complexities of a story, and that alone made Gajeel's tense nerves ease up.

"Good evening," Lily greeted with his usual smirk before looking up to find Gajeel in his room. "See you broke a sweat on your way here, you must really care about me." Lily teased with a big grin, hoping that he could smack off Gajeel's pitiful look by saying something snarky.

However, Gajeel's pained look didn't lighten. "I brought ya somethin'." The man announces as he lifted he plastic grocery bag in his hand. The clear plastic displayed an abundance of Kiwis, which anyone who knew Lily knew was the key to his heart.

Lily acted extra shocked and emphasized this with a dramatic gasp. "Gajeel you shouldn't have."

"Stop making a big deal out of it and just take it," he chewed out, returning to the Gajeel that Lily was accustomed too.

"Thanks," Lily smiled shortly, "but you really didn't have to waste your time coming out here. I know it's out of the way."

Gajeel let Lily's words sink in before he responded. It was hard for him to admit to his wrongs at times, but when it came to people that meant a damn to him he had his exceptions. Putting his pride aside came naturally with Levy, but with Lily it still had its challenges sometimes. At least this sort of thing did.

"It's my damn fault yer in the hospital, anyway." Gajeel started, not sure of where he was going with this. "I... I don't really know how to apologize."

"How about starting with a little 'I'm sorry'," Lily said with another grin.

"Yer pushing it, Cat," Gajeel growled his nickname for Lily's old alias, but he did feel a bit better that Lily was taking this less seriously than he thought he would.

"How's Levy?" Lily asked, pushing the attention off of himself. "I know Makarov must have been furious with her." He closed his book and sat it on the bed side carefully, he didn't want to knock over the flowers on his bedside table.

"At first..." Gajeel agreed, but his voice trailed when Lily adjusted and the bandages covering his chest revealed. Now the whole scene was replaying in his head, the bullet that rocketed through Lily, and the way his body fell backwards into the destroyed debris beneath him. It was enough to kill him, and for a moment Gajeel wasn't exactly positive that Lily could make it through that kind of damage.

Lily caught the disturbance in Gajeel's face. Lily's eyes narrowed sympathetically and he placed a hand over the bullet wound. "I understand why you did what you did. I'm not angry."

"I coulda got ya killed," Gajeel protested. "If I weren't so reckless I— you—," Gajeel was losing the words as they caught in his throat. It took a lot of pride for him to admit that, but for fucks sake it was the truth.

"You were protecting Levy," Lily said, and he glanced over at the lilies that sprouted out of the vase beside his novel. "I'm sure if it was Shagotte in Levy's place, I'd have done the same thing. No, I'd certainly have done it, that's why I'm not mad at you. At least... that way I'd be able to save her somehow, from _something_... at least I'd be able to do _that_." Lily's eyes tapered and it didn't take much for Gajeel to understand where he was going.

"That's why yer safety is important, Shagotte needs you." Gajeel reminded. "That's why I feel so bad, well, it has something to do with that." Gajeel didn't know exactly what to say. He was sure that last thing Lily wanted to talk about as he was trying to heal up was Shagotte's stage three cancer. Her days were spent mostly in the hospital, and it was why Lily refrained talking about her. Now this led him to another thought he meant to bring up to Lily, but he'd never find the right time.

"Ya never thought about dropping this whole Makarov business? Y'know... since Shagotte needs you? Don't you wanna be safe for her?" Gajeel asked then, testing the waters and settling on a more dangerous topic.

"A lot of people need me," Lily huffed. "I've been in the military, a body guard, security... every role I've played has been for the sake of defending those who need me." A smile came to Lily's face then. "That's actually how Shagotte and I met. With her being so famous and all, I find it so coincidental that I was hired as her security guard. She knew what she was getting into the moment she fell in love."

"I know that, but..." Gajeel leaned against the window feeling a bit more defeated that he did when he walked in the door.

"If you're contemplating dropping the double agent stuff for the sake of Levy, I'm very sorry to tell you it won't be that easy." Lily sullenly informed.

"Yeah, Yeah, unfortunately I've already thought of that part." Gajeel explained.

"You love her a lot, don't you?" Lily asked then, and his eyes followed Gajeel's as he tried to pinpoint what the man was observing in the distance. All there was to see was the Magnolian River and the twinkling stars. He was surprised when Gajeel turned to him with a calm face, not even much of a blush like he usually sported at the mentioning of Levy's name. He was so peaceful, so secure in his answer that Lily was genuinely proud of him.

"Yeah," Gajeel agreed. "I really do."

"So then you did the right thing," Lily started as he lied back against the bed and crossed his arms with a slight wince. "I'm really proud of you, Gajeel. It's as if you turned a new leaf."

"Something like that." Gajeel stated with uncertainty. "I don't really think so. I think deep down I'm still the same degenerate bastard that I was when she met me. I ain't changed at all. Truth is, I don't think Levy could really return feelings for a guy like me. I don't have anything good to offer her, just problems..." he admitted sadly.

"Of course she won't like you, girls like guys with confidence, and all I hear is a big baby complaining." Lily replied, obviously joking.

Gajeel rolled his eyes. "I shoulda let ya bleed out like a pig back there," he replied as he referred to Lily's near death experience at the club.

"Maybe. Then you'd realize how short life is and would finally admit your feelings to Levy." Lily tried a different approach. "I know the hard part is yet to come, ya still gotta tell her how you feel, but after that there'd be nothing else left to do. You've already done everything." Lily smiled when something lit up in Gajeel's eyes. "At this point, you don't have else to worry about."

"Huh. Wisdom really does come with age, does it old man?" Gajeel and Lily exchange half assed grins. "Now all I gotta worry about is her rejecting me."

"Highly unlikely," Lily shot down Gajeel's concerns. "And I'm sure you're the only one who thinks she would."

Gajeel was silent for a moment. "Thank you," he replied, and Lily gave him a soft smile.

It was at that moment of peace that someone abruptly burst open the door, it frightened the both of them, and Gajeel stiffened up considerably as he prepared himself for the worst. However, it wasn't anyone the two of them were expecting. She looked a bit rough on the edges in comparison to when Gajeel had last seen her, it was clearly the heavy doses of chemo going through her and thinning all the hair on her body. Her face was pale, lips chapped, but her gray eyes still shined brightly as ever. Shagotte was clearly distressed, and now Lily was trying to drag himself out of bed to assist her, but he was physically unable to.

"Shagotte?" Lily questioned, eyes widened. "Love, you should be resting, what's wrong?"

"Lily, it's your friend. I think she's seriously hurt," Shagotte cried out, hands trembling as she clenched the the neck of her hospital gown. "It's the sweet little girl you've told me about. It's Levy," Shagotte explained, and every fiber in Gajeel's body responded, and his eyes deepened as the horrible feeling in his stomach worsened.

 **ooo**

 **Levy was uncomfortably cold,** so chilled to the bone that it woke her up. She wish she hadn't been disturbed, her head felt as if it would roll off her shoulders, she couldn't adjust to the light of the room not matter how hard she tried. Everything in her felt tired, and even adjusting in bed was a chore. Levy looked around and tried her best to figure out her surroundings, and it didn't take her long to remember the events of that night, so she was surprised to find herself in a hospital gown.

The first thing Levy noticed was the bandages wrapped around her hands; she worried about how bad the damage would be, she couldn't help it when it came to clawing her way around the house, her fingers against the scorching door frames and handles and she searched for Asuka. She wasn't thinking right, with how much smoke she was inhaling she couldn't keep her head on. Levy was startled when she looked up from her injury to find Laxus sitting in the chair beside her bed. She turned away slightly, but no matter what she just couldn't rip her eyes off him.

"Good morning," he greeted her with a soft smile.

"Laxus," Levy started, and she immediately pushed a bandaged hand against her neck. She began crying immediately, but not cause she was sad, it was because she felt as if her throat was on fire. "God," Levy whispered out. "That hurts like Hell."

"You burned your throat," Laxus explained. "The doctors said it's from breathing in all that smoke, talking during the fire," he kept his arms crossed over his chest like he usually did. "Luckily for you it'll clear up in a couple of days. Just need some antibiotics and rest."

Levy squeezed away the tears, and her voice came out hoarse and dry. "How's Asuka? Is she okay?" Levy kept her voice as soft as she could, which made her sound as if she was physically weak.

"You mean the little girl?" Laxus assumed, given rescuing the child was the entire reason why Levy was in the hospital. "She's in pretty bad shape, but she'll manage. Not so much on the outside, but internally. Her lungs are burned pretty bad from being in the house so long, but it's nothing the doctors can't fix. You shouldn't worry about her too much."

"Thank goodness," Levy smiles, and she brushes a few tears away from her eyes. "I'm so happy."

Laxus smiled softly at her then. "Levy..." he started, and he waited for the girl to make eye contact with him. "What you did," he stopped then as he didn't know exactly what to say. "What you did out there was amazing."

Levy was surprised then. "Wait... you're not mad at me?" She asked a little louder, accommodating to the scratch in her vocal chords and handling the pain better.

"A part of me is," Laxus admitted with a dark demeanor that made Levy's stomach flip. "The part that cares about you is livid." His eyes narrowed and Levy felt her smile melt into a heavy frown. She nodded softly, acknowledging that she had done wrong.

"But," Laxus started, which made Levy's ears perk, "I'm more proud of you than anything." He smiled just in time for her to see it. "You may not be the strongest, or the most experienced, but you're the best damn officer I've ever had. You put your life in danger and saved that little girl in a time where everyone thought of their own safety," Laxus reminded her, and he stood up to close the gap between them. "You have the heart of what it really means to be an officer. You care about your people, you fight for what's right— you're amazing, Levy."

"L-Laxus," Levy cried out then, and now she was really tearing up emotionally. "Th-thank you so m-," she stopped herself short and Laxus sighed.

"Don't force yourself to speak for my sake, Levy. I just had to tell you what everyone's thinking." Laxus rubbed Levy's back soothingly, the way he did whenever she was sick. It was a comforting feeling that brought nostalgia to her, and she didn't ask him to stop.

"Laxus..?" Levy tested, and his rubbing slowed down as he looked at her. "What... what happened? What happened... to the parents ... during the invasion?" Levy's words shook, and she couldn't push the thought out of her head, a traumatized Asuka shrieking about hearing something and having to hide no matter what.

Laxus exhaled the breath he was holding after a moment. No one in his life was more curious than Levy, so he should have expected this. Clearly Mira was a curious girl given she always wanted the inside scoop and juicy details to things— mostly rumors and gossip — but Levy was different. Levy craved knowledge, information, and Laxus was foolish if he'd think he'd get away without informing Levy what exactly she'd had risked her life for. Levy waited patiently with her injured hands carefully laid over her lap, and her eyes darkened as she grew very serious.

Laxus lied back in his seat and threw one leg over the other. Truth be told the violent nature of the crime would steal many hours of his nights and haunt him in his sleep. He didn't want to talk about it, but this wasn't Levy's fault and she deserved to know. As much as he wanted to keep babying her, keep her on the most innocent of assignments where he could monitor and ensure her safety, enough was enough. Laxus could keep her as safe as he wanted, and they'd still go after her. Ivan would would make sure of that, and he proved that tonight.

"The parents to the child you rescued are Alzack and Bisca Connell. They used to be part of our law enforcement, just normal skilled officers like yourself, except they turned their badges in a few years ago once Asuka got older." Laxus noticed the way Levy's brows furrowed, the look she made when she had too many questions to sort through. He decided to answer the main one she was most likely wondering. "You're no stranger to the harsh realities of the job, no one's life is guaranteed when you're working the heart of Magnolia, they knew what they were risking. Once Asuka turned three they started new careers, something less active to ensure living a safe life their daughter— that was four years ago."

"So then... the home invasion was..." Levy started, and her eyes widened in horrible realization. "Don't tell me... that... that—," she cleared her voice and squeezed back tears again.

"Go easy on yourself, Lev, you're not gonna get better at this rate," Laxus half-scolded. "It's exactly what you think. Ivan's picking off members of the force— even the ones that aren't active anymore. He's doing it to prove a point, knocking people down at their weakest. He attacked you because you're significant to Makarov and I, Mira is the same situation." Laxus brushed a hand through his hair and exhaled heavily, and Levy could see just how all of this pressure was effecting him. You could see it in his dull skin and dead eyes, and more than ever she wanted to console him.

"What exactly happened?" Levy asked softly, surprised Laxus was giving her so much information and so easily. It's been a while since he's trusted her, sat down and even talked with her, really.

Laxus grew pale. "Well, from the crime reports Evergreen handed me..." Laxus grew cold for a moment just thinking about it. "I'll keep things short and spare you the atrocities. They wanted to sell Asuka in Ivan's trade, but Bisca hid her especially well. When the couple told Ivan's members that they hadn't an idea where Asuka was, they were tortured until they spoke up. Alzack took the worse of the beatings, Bisca a bit of damage. Instead of hurting her themselves, they drenched the home in gasoline to lure Asuka out, or to allow her to perish with her family if she was taken down by the flames."

"Oh my God..." Levy croaked out just thinking about it. "Th-they were just gonna let them burn alive? Just like that?"

"Alzack and Bisca were tied to their dining chairs in the middle of the living room when the fire started. A neighbor reported it and fortunately for them Lucy and Natsu weren't too far away. It's a miracle they're even alive."

Levy shook her head in shock. "No... no it's not right. That's so cruel of them. I can't believe this happened to their family. It's not fair, it's not right! Alzack and Bisca haven't been officers in years, they shouldn't be the ones targeted. They shouldn't have been through something so horrible. Why? Why them?" Levy cried out, and her voice cracked every so often and her coughing got in the way of most of her speech.

"Like I said, it was to prove a point. Ivan's telling us that as long as we're not on his side he can hurt any one of us." Laxus stared Levy cold in the eye. "He's drilling fear into everyone. Alzack and Bisca are only one out of the many invasions that have happened in the past few months, yours included. You don't know how many badges have been placed on my desk, everyone's scared shitless they're going to be murdered."

That news was enough to make Levy's lips press into a firm line. She noticed a few faces disappearing from the office, but she never stopped to wonder if people were really quitting their jobs. "Will the couple manage?" Levy asked worriedly.

"I can't say much for Bisca's mental health, but Alzack... Alzack has a long way to go. His recovery will take a while, that's for sure."

Levy's head shook in disbelief. A flashback of Alzack severely beaten on the front lawn haunted her. "I'm going to stop him, I'm going to stop Ivan." Levy swore, and tears prickled her eyes as she made this promise.

"Levy, you really shouldn't try anything rash while you're healing," Laxus started, trying a different approach with the stubborn girl. Levy fought for what she believed in, and by now Laxus knew well that if he ordered Levy not to she'd do it just for the sakes of rebelling against him. His theory was right because Levy simmered down then, and her eyes saddened as she looked rather hopeless, an expression on her face that Laxus didn't want to see. "I know you're angry, I know you want justice for what happened to them. I know that feeling better than anyone in the world..." Laxus started slowly, and his mind rushed through images of Levy hospitalized five years ago, the stitches zigzagging along her sternum and ribs. "But you can't run head on and arrest every man in that Mafia. You just can't do it, Lev."

"I know I can't, Laxus." Levy hiccuped, her logical side sprouting underneath her emotion. "I'm just upset. I know I can't take down everyone, but I've gotta do something! You praised me that one night, you said I had the skill and experience to work the front line. I can be more help, Laxus. "

Levy grew cold when she saw the saddened look on Laxus's face. He didn't know where this was exactly coming from, but he had to tell her. "Levy, I know Gajeel was in that apartment that night, I knew it the moment I entered the scene."

Levy felt every hair on her body stand upright at the mentioning of Gajeel's name. Her mouth grew dry and her eyes widened, and now every sense in her was heightened now that she was put under the spotlight.

"You really shouldn't look so surprised," Laxus reassured. "I saw him escape, I knew you two had just left from Gramp's, and I knew that no matter how well you trained at the academy there was just no fucking way in Hell that you could have taken down men those skillful. Natsu couldn't do it, Juvia couldn't do it, Mira couldn't do it. Not fresh out of training, so don't take it so personal, Levy."

Levy felt her chest tighten, but deep down she knew he was right. Those enemies posed as a threat to Gajeel, and when Levy had left the living room for only a moment, Gajeel was fighting for his life.

"Then why didn't you say anything?" Levy asked. "Why did you praise me and put my on the Front line?" Her voice was harsher than, and now the sting in her throat was nothing compared to the ache in her chest.

"I knew you'd be safer there, surrounded by the best we have." Laxus started. "And I hoped that maybe if I gave the jobs you wanted, you'd stop going out looking for trouble yourself."

Levy blushed brightly then. This entire time she had tried to be so clever, so under the radar with her schemes, but now it seemed that Laxus already knew everything. A majority of her conscious wasn't that surprised, but she still felt embarrassed.

"Y'know... I've only been hard on you all these time because I care about you." Laxus started, and this soft side of him made Levy's blush grow brighter. "I... I already failed to protect you once, and if you were to get hurt again on my watch, I wouldn't be able to live with myself." Laxus admitted, and his head ducked down some as he didn't look at her.

Levy instantly understood what he was referring to, and now she was softening up and letting go of the heat that settled in her core from their previous argument. "Laxus, you cant't blame yourself forever. That wasn't any of your fault."

"I should have gone with you that night," Laxus yelled then, his emotions getting the best of him. Both of their eyes widened at his sudden outburst, and he lowered his tone a bit for only the both of them to hear. "I should have been there with you. I shouldn't have been so selfish. If you weren't alone that night, no one would have hurt you— you wouldn't have been hurt!" Laxus looked up then, showing the most emotion he had in years. "I couldn't stand seeing you hurt again, I couldn't fail you like I had back then. That's why it killed me when I gave you the front line, because I knew it would put you at risk for doing things like this. Like Ivan! But now, after Alzack and Bisca... I don't think that mindset matters anymore..."

"Laxus... we can't change what happened." Levy reminded him, and when he looked up with miserable eyes she gave him a soft smile. "If you blame yourself every time someone important to you gets hurt, you're gonna worry yourself sick."

Laxus kept his eyes down as he knew what Levy was saying was the truth; he just couldn't help but feel as though he carried such a heavy responsibility. Levy could manage herself now, she's proven it countless times, but he still couldn't allow her to get herself hurt, it just wasn't in him.

"I know I always want to protect you, but... I do believe you saved Asuka's life, Levy. It was a death wish running into that house, but I'm glad you did it anyway." He smiled a soft, genuine smile. "You're a hero."

Levy's eyes sparkled then, and the two of them shared deep eye contact that sparked some kind of connection; it was so sharp that Laxus broke it off and rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. "I should probably start

heading back. It's already almost eleven and I haven't finished filing any reports. The councils definitely gonna wanna hear about this, as if I didn't have enough superiors to worry about." Laxus groaned just thinking about the Hell the city council would give him about this, even if it was out of his control, Jura still wouldn't be happy. Things like this led to city panic, and it was up to Laxus to paint a pretty picture to a horrible situation and pretend that everything was under control.

"Laxus," Levy called out a bit too loudly, and she cleared her throat. When she finished her fit, she looked up to see his calm gray eyes swirl with worry. "Thank you for visiting me," Levy smiled confidently, hoping her optimism could soothe his apprehension. Laxus visibly relaxed, and he smiled with relief.

"No problem, I'll check on you in the morning and see how your shaping up," Laxus offered kindly.

Levy grinned brightly, "that would mean a lot," She chirped, but Laxus's silence made her look up with a worried expression. Her eyes widened when the door opened before Laxus could reach for the handle, and immediately someone Levy hadn't expected had pushed his way past the threshold, despite Laxus blocking the way.

It was Gajeel.

 **A/N:** Writing FanFiction and trying to succeed in nursing school is a million times harder than I thought it would be, lol. I'm trying to update I am, I'm failing classes cause all I do is day dream about what I'm going to write next! Sorry for the whole "confession tease" towards the end. Don't worry, Gajevy's romance makes a big step forward in the next chapter. No seriously.

Also, I didn't want to go too in depth with Lily's background because I don't think I could fit a good place for it in this story. So, to keep things short, Shagotte is like a celebrity and Lily was her assigned body guard. Eventually they fell in love, and that's just some background on how they met. Lily holds a great sadness because as he has worked long jobs for Makarov, he's hardly home, and during his absence Shagotte found out she had cancer. It's why he's always associated with flowers, because he replaces new ones for her bedside at the hospital consistently.

In addition, I thought it would be cute to add some songs that helped my creative flow for this story.

Slow Dancing in The Dark -Joji

The less I know the better - Tame Impala

Electric Love - BORNS


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:** You guys don't know how excited I was to write this!

Also, although this is a very intimate chapter I didn't write a long lemon, I just kept it mild and to the point and made things suggestive. I wanted to focus on the romance and love.

 _ **Thank you guys for the sweetest reviews last chapter I am the luckiest writer alive.**_

Please enjoy this chapter and as always thank you so much for reading!

 **Chapter 14**

 **Gajeel had never ran faster** in his life, and he pushed past civilians and wrecked everything in his path as he tore away from the surgery unit of the hospital. It hadn't even been a full minute, and now Gajeel was crashing towards the room Shagotte had informed him Levy was in. 301 was only a few doors down now, and he was apprehensive about what lied behind that threshold. From Shagotte's fearful eyes, anything could have happened, and that fear propelled him through the building as he tore through the distance between himself and Levy. Gajeel felt his chest tighten and his heart was pounding hard as he urged his legs to run faster.

His thoughts were havoc as all sorts of worst case scenarios played with his mind. _Please be okay, please be okay_ , he begged the universe as he prepared to kick down the entrance of her room, but the door opened just in time for Gajeel to nearly smack all of his weight into Laxus. The two of them exchanged electricity and tension just from looking at one another, and although they hardly had anything to do with each other they both shared a mutual hatred to the other's existence.

Gajeel's teeth clenched and he almost seethed at the sight of Laxus; of course this bastard had to be here. Gajeel's anger subsided immediately the moment he caught a glimpse of Levy behind Laxus, sitting patiently in her hospital bed with her hands on her lap. He noticed the bandages lacing her fingers, but other than that she looked unharmed. He felt the adrenaline release out of him and his shoulders felt heavy. He tried his best to hide how out of breath he was, and all he could do was relish in the sweet feeling of relief.

"Thank Gods," Gajeel whispered to himself, and he leaned a hand against the door frame as the adrenaline released out of him and made his body feel weak.

Laxus, on the other hand wasn't in the least sympathetic towards him. "Sorry, but I'm afraid visiting hours are over," Laxus reminded coldly, and the apology in his words sounded forced and empty.

"I don't give a damn about the hours," Gajeel growled at him threateningly and shared Laxus's challenging glare.

"I didn't ask if you did." Laxus's eyes narrowed and he pressed forward, and his authoritative demeanor practically swallowed Gajeel whole the moment he fell under Laxus's shadow. I'm telling you to leave, and you should do so before I force you to." Laxus warned.

"I'd love to fuckin' see ya try, I'm not goin' anywhere until I know she's okay!" Gajeel roared, and he snapped back into reality when the smallest voice called out his name.

"Gajeel?" Levy croaked from behind Laxus's shoulder. "Is that you?" She asked hesitantly; Laxus's large frame blocked her view on who was visiting her.

Now Gajeel was peering over Laxus's shoulder. The two of them made eye contact, and Levy was surprised to see Gajeel so roughed up and distressed. Worry overcame her then, and her eyebrows furrowed at how cold Laxus was being towards him.

"Laxus, let him in." Levy ordered sternly.

"Levy," Laxus pleaded, but was quickly cut off.

"You told me to rest my voice, didn't you?" Levy asked, and now she was flashing him a stern glare that portrayed just how serious she was. "Don't make me repeat myself," Levy finished, and her words formed a strict order that was almost out of her usual behavior. Laxus couldn't believe what he was hearing, and although his body grew heavy as his mind protested against her wishes, he forced himself to push forward and out of Gajeel's way.

Laxus bared his teeth, "I'll be back in the morning." And he pushed past Gajeel roughly, and purposely shoved him to the side.

Gajeel tensed up at that, but he decided to be the better person. Just because Laxus was important to Levy didn't mean he'd allow the man to disrespect him so easily. However, there was a time and place for everything, and seeing how beat up Levy was he would handle his issues with Laxus later.

"Gajeel," Levy started nervously, and she smiled softly when he closed the door and walked towards her. "What are you doing here—" but she was stopped when Gajeel wrapped his arms around her tightly, and he pulled her so close to him she thought she'd suffocate. Her eyebrows raised when she felt him trembling around her, and he pushed his face into her neck as he buried into her, and it was so out of no where that she was almost speechless. "Gajeel, are you okay? I didn't mean to worry you." She didn't understand why he was so intimate and personal, so she tried to ease his nerves. "I'm fine, really!"

Gajeel pulled away from her then, and now Levy was completely thrown off when he gave her a sharp, challenging glare. She froze up when she noticed his studded brows furrowing into an enraged look. "What's with that mean look, you jerk?" Levy snapped, her voice ringing with irritation, and Gajeel released her from his hold as he was now emotional.

Just the sound of her hoarse voice was enough to worry him. He'd found out quickly that she was involved in a fire, it was all the damn hospital was taking about. He also bumped into that idiot Natsu and the blonde on his way up here, and the news he received about Levy's carelessness was unsettling with him. From everyone's different perspectives, he thought he was going to find Levy unrecognizable and burnt to a crisp, and the details of the fire sounded so deadly and lethal that he didn't know what he was going to run in on. And now here she was, giggling at how cute he was when he worried about her, and he was so relieved and frustrated that he didn't know what the Hell he felt. He walked away from her and collected himself, he didn't want to act too rash, this was Levy he was dealing with, but fuck he couldn't stop shaking.

"You just don't know when to quit do you?" Gajeel's voice rumbled deeply and shook her entire body, and she was startled by just how upset he was with her. He hadn't meant to be so loud, it just erupted out of him. At first she thought he was furious, but it didn't take long for her to pinpoint the pain in his eyes. The force in his voice didn't take her aback, at first it only pissed her off, but now she was starting to feel guilty.

"Wow, you're here to lecture me too?" Levy challenged from her bed, and pain filled her eyes as her glare sharpened. "I'm so embarrassed to think you actually dropped by because you cared about me. Now I can see you just wanted to ridicule me as well. You're such a jerk." Levy snapped her head away before she could give off too much emotion in her expression.

"What do ya expect?" Gajeel roared. "You almost get yerself killed and ya want me to be _happy_ about it?"

"I was doing my _job!_ " Levy defended with obvious cracks in her voice, which didn't help defend her, it only supported Gajeel's statement, and her rough vocal chords were just the top of the iceberg of the damage her body received.

"No, you were doing the _firemen's_ job!" Gajeel corrected, and he stomped towards Levy and stopped at the foot of her bed. Now she could really see how angry he was with her. "Yer job doesn't mean ya gotta run into a collapsing' building that's on fire!" He screamed out. "For fucks sakes Lev, you're here to save people, but that doesn't give ya an excuse to run around asking to get yerself killed!"

"I don't need to be hearing this from you of all people, Gajeel!" Levy bit out, and now they were both stunned by her outburst, even if her voice wasn't that strong. Her heart was pounding so hard that she thought it would explode. She was mad at him, really mad, and yet she couldn't stop the fluttering feeling deep in her chest. That warm feeling that settled in her the moment she realized he visited her was now mixing with the heated resentment coiling in the bottom of her stomach from their current argument. She was angry, and to make matters worse her heart was squeezing, and she couldn't figure out why. Her face was flushed, and she was more annoyed at herself than anything that she found Gajeel even more attractive when he was heated like this.

"Who are you to ridicule me?" Levy asked sharply, and Gajeel backed in on himself, and now he felt a bit shorter than he did when he first walked through the door. "It's not like we're anything, it's not like I'm yours, it's not like you're mine," Levy choked out, and she felt fooled when her words cut her deep when they were meant to cut him. "We're not anything important, you established that already, so why are you charging in here like you care about me?" Levy cried out, ignoring that agony simmering in her throat, which seeped down and made her chest feel like liquid fire. Was it her damaged lungs exploding or her broken heart? They both felt painful.

"Levy..." Gajeel started with wide eyes.

"I can't do this anymore, Gajeel," Levy spoke raspy, and her voice was half inaudible as her words broke both from her sadness and her condition. "I can't keep following you around, waiting for something that isn't allowed to happen. I can't keep hurting myself like this. It's like every time I try to push away you just pull me back in. I can't take it anymore."

"Levy," Gajeel tried softer.

Levy pushed herself out of bed this time, and now they were heated up all over again.

"Levy, what do ya think yer doin'? Ya need to rest!" He yelled again, his voice contrasting with his soft plea moments before.

"No, I'm not gonna just lie down hopeless while you antagonize me! I'm not taking your crap anymore, Gajeel! I'm not just gonna sit around and let you be a hypocrite! You're overwhelmed about me? Think of all the times you've worried me sick! All the times I stayed up wondering about your safety, wondering where you were! You—!" Levy screamed out, and her eyes stung with tears, but she was too pissed off to care about the pain. Levy's voice broke then, and she couldn't speak anymore, and before she could protest Gajeel advanced towards her. "You're the worst!" Levy cried out, and she pushed against his chest like she always did when she was frustrated with him, and reality slapped her sharply when she was reminded of her injured hands. Pain sizzled beneath her bandages as she relived the burning sensation all over again. Levy stepped back quickly and screwed her eyes shut as she tried to overcome the sharp sting.

"Levy!" Gajeel cried out worriedly, and he immediately grabbed her by the wrists and slowly pulled her hands towards him. "Levy, ya gotta be more careful, yer hurt, remember?"

Levy's shoulders trembled then, and Gajeel's frown grew heavier as he watched the small girl in front of him softly cry. She kept her face down to hide her tears, but he watched the way the heavy drops plopped on the green files beneath her feet. "I can't believe you," she sobbed. "I was... I was so happy to see you and you just came in here to yell at me..."

"I didn't come in here to yell at you, Levy." Gajeel corrected quickly, and his hold on Levy's hands softened as to not to hurt her. "I... I was just really worried. I... I don't want to lose you."

"Sure you don't," Levy denied his feelings as she shook her head no rapidly. "It's not like there's anything for us to lose. We're just two people who messed up and stumbled into each other's lives at the most horrible of times. We weren't supposed to get this far, we weren't supposed to do any of this."

"Do you really think that way, Lev? Do you?" Gajeel asked, and his voice shook with emotion. "I don't think that way at all, and if anything, I'm glad things turned out the way they did, I'm glad to have met you."

Levy looked up then, and her eyes were reddened by her oncoming tears. "All I'm good at is inconveniencing you. All I'm good at is getting you in trouble and getting in the way. All I'm good at is making your life harder," Levy sobbed. "And I don't mean to, I don't mean to be a burden, I..." she shook her head no and didn't continue her thought. "You wouldn't have to feel so obligated to stay associated with me if I hadn't of complicated your job with Makarov. I really am an idiot, I should have just stayed in my place as a police officer." Levy cried harder when she received silence from Gajeel, and now her hands felt heavy in his but she didn't pull away. "I must sound so pathetic to you right about now. I'm sorry, I never meant to make you mad," Levy hiccuped.

Gajeel sighed at that, and Levy bristled up. "What?" She asked sharply. She looked up when Gajeel didn't answer, and her eyes widened when their stares met and he advanced towards her. "What do you think you're doing?!" Levy's voice rasped out, and Gajeel's arms secured around her as he held her tighter against him, embracing the small girl against his chest.

"Levy, I was never mad at you," he reassured her, and his voice was soft and gentle, so caring to the point it made her want to cry more. "I never meant to come off that way, Levy, I was just... I was scared."

Levy's expression was puzzled when he said that. Gajeel was one of the most fearless people she knew, nothing ever pushed him back, and no challenge ever threatened him. For him to admit that had to have been hard for him, and now Levy was calming down in his arms, waiting patiently for him to continue.

"Levy." Gajeel started weakly, and she didn't speak a word as she listened carefully to him. His eyes narrowed sadly and he grew weak as he held her. "How many times..?" Gajeel started slowly, trying to figure out what to say, or at least where to find the courage to say it, and as he spoke his voice was low and defeated. " _How many times do ya gotta worry me until yer satisfied..?"_

"Gajeel..." Levy whispered, and slowly her damaged hands moved upward and pressed into his back as she returned the embrace. "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry for making you feel this way." She cried into his chest, and Gajeel's hand reached the back of her head as he smoothed down her hair.

"It's not your fault, Levy. Please don't cry, Levy," he soothed her, and his genuine words made her sob harder.

"I... I was scared too." She admitted through her tears. "When you got shot, right after you had just finished healing... I was scared this time you weren't gonna make it. _I was so scared, Gajeel..."_ Levy trembled in his hold and he held her tight to stabilize her so she wouldn't fall over. She buried her face in his chest, and she loved the way that Gajeel enveloped around her, and she wanted nothing more than to stay in his strong arms forever.

"I always want to be strong for you," she confessed, and she had no time to slow down and grow embarrassed of how open she was. "That's why I saved that little girl, because I know it's something you would have done and... and I want to be strong like you, Gajeel, but... but I was so _scared._ " She sniffled, and she pushed away from him slightly as her face burned red. She really did feel pathetic, but Gajeel slowly wrapped his arms back around her, and when he sat down on the bed and placed her on his lap where he could comfort her further, she didn't protest. At the end, all Levy really need was some well needed comforting.

"I get scared sometimes too, Lev. Anyone woulda feared for their life in yer situation. That doesn't make yer any less strong than ya are. It means yer brave." He nuzzled his face against her hair, and he felt the way her trembling was slowly vanishing. "Ya worried the fuck out of me, but at the same time I'm really proud of ya. Ya did good, Shorty."

Her tears welled up all over again, and now Levy was wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. Her tears dropped against her skin, but he didn't stop her from holding him. Levy sniffled and nuzzled her cheek against his. "Thank you Gajeel, you always know how to make me feel better."

"I'm glad," Gajeel replied. His face bloomed a cherry shade when Levy pulled away from him and gave him a warm smile. She was so close to his face, and seeing her so at ease made him feel happier himself. She was so beautiful, and although his heart was racing wild he was starting to enjoy the feeling he got when he was around her. Lily called it butterflies, and Gajeel refused to admit to having something so "pansy" floating within him. As much as he wanted to deny the cutesy-poo side of it all, Gajeel enjoyed the sensation of falling in love with her.

"I feel awful you came to visit me, especially this late," Levy started, and she was startled when Gajeel reached out and gently caressed her face; his thumbs stroked against her cheeks and wiped away her tears.

"You really think I wouldn't?" Gajeel asked.

"Well, you're always so busy," Levy reasoned.

"I make time for ya," Gajeel countered, and he looked a bit hurt then.

Levy smile softly towards him. She was straddling him, sort of, as she sat on his lap while facing him. They were in such an intimate position, and yet neither of them felt too bothered by it. Being this close to one another felt natural, like their bodies were crafted carefully to specifically match. Levy pushed forward and landed a soft, gentle kiss on Gajeel's lips, so breezily that he almost thought he dreamed it. It left him craving more, and he watched her with hooded eyes as her eyes wandered into his gaze, taking in every brilliant shade of red his irises had to offer.

The two of them were silent, and now it was Gajeel's turn to return the favor. He kissed her back, but just as gently as she had initiated; soft and loving, and it was the calmest, quietest and sweetest exchange of kissing that the two of them ever experienced. Their romance was fierce, hot and wild, and everything about their love came with power, passion and hunger. However, this moment was nothing like those in the past, it was simpler, still like the quiet night sky, vast and absolutely captivating. It was beautiful, and something that for the longest had longed in Gajeel's chest finally felt satisfied. He felt peace.

Gajeel and Levy continued kissing, softly, slowly, and so much love was felt between them that the two of them couldn't deny it. Something was so obviously clearly there, and they didn't deny it, they didn't stop it. Gajeel couldn't wrap his mind around it, and suddenly he felt like the luckiest man alive. "Levy..." Gajeel was almost inaudible, and his hand landed on her face gently; his fingertips grazed her skin with the most delicate touch, and goosebumps raised over her body at the sensation. She was about to respond, but a door slammed open and the two of them snapped out of their moment.

 _"Are you serious?"_ A voice ripped through their intimate moment and made Levy practically jump off of Gajeel. She had forgotten she was completely naked underneath her hospital gown, which couldn't have looked good for anyone randomly walking in. Their moment was anything but sexual, but it would be hard to explain that to the strict elder nurse that Levy had met before. "Gajeel Redfox, I know you're trouble but this is just despicable!" Porlyusica bit as she marched into the room, and she rolled up the magazine in her hand and prepared to beat him.

"W-wait, I just-," Gajeel started.

"Do you know how far past visiting hours it is?" She scolded the two, which made both of them duck their heads down in shame. "Clearly you have no consideration for any of our other patients!" Porlyusica started as she bonked Gajeel on the head with her magazine with the same force she'd use on a small child. The quick, harmless tap only angered him more, but he clenched his teeth but said nothing.

"And you!" Porlyusica pointed her weapon at Levy, and the small girl panicked immediately.

"Y-yes ma'am?!" Levy cried out.

"Didn't I tell you that you needed to be well rested? You didn't just show up cause of a paper cut, you showed up cause you marched yourself into a fire! You're trying to recover aren't you? I don't even think you know the severity of your predicament, stubborn girl!" Porlyusica lectured with a loud voice.

 _So much for considering the other patients,_ Gajeel huffed with his arms crossed over his chest and a roll of his eyes, but Levy was more regretful.

"I-I'm sorry," Levy spoke hoarsely, and Gajeel had almost forgotten that her voice did in fact sound as if it was gonna die out on her.

"Now, now, get out of here. She'll be here in the morning when visiting hours resume," Porlyusica ordered.

Gajeel sighed at that, and he placed his hands in his pockets. "Well Levy, you heard her." He started, and he crossed the room where he became eye contact with Porlyusica. "I just need a minute with her."

"Last time I checked I didn't offer you any room to argue with me," Porlyusica scolded, and she narrowed her eyes at him challenging. However, she found it hard to stay stern with him, given something in Gajeel's eyes softened, and if she were seeing things clearly, she may even say he looked a bit worn out.

"I'm just gonna say goodnight to her and then I'll leave, that's all I want." Gajeel promised, and his eyes pleaded with her to let him stay.

Porlyusica's mouth formed a tight line as she glanced over at Levy, who sat at the edge of her bed with a worried look. She played with a lock of her cerulean hair, and she kept her eyes on the ground and away from Gajeel and the nurse. Porlyusica sighed, perhaps Gajeel was more serious than she assumed he was. He was coming of age after all, and she'd have to admit that she'd never seen him more determined before.

"A minute," Porlyusica compromised, and she shot Levy another harsh look, as if to send a reminder that she wasn't going to allow anymore more problems.

Gajeel sighed, and he turned back around to Levy who remained at the foot of the bed, looking up at him innocently. He smiled softly then, and he shook out the tension that filled the room after the two of them got scolded. "The old hag is right. Ya need yer rest."

"Yeah, she's right..." Levy nodded shortly. "If I continue at this rate, I'm gon-," Levy finished her sentence, but nothing came out. Her voice had cracked terribly and no matter how hard she strained to make any sound her efforts were futile.

Gajeel shook his head, "Good Gods. Y'did it now, Shorty. You've completely lost your voice."

Levy clasped her fingers around her neck and tried hard to speak out to him, and she turned red when Gajeel's snicker formed into a full on laugh. "I knew ya were gonna lose yer voice eventually. They told me ya couldn't speak much so visiting you would have to be short." Gajeel smiled when Levy's eyes narrowed angrily and she defended herself, absolutely silent. "What am I gonna do with ya?" He asked her, and when his fingers roughed through her hair she shut her mouth and closed her eyes.

Levy gave him that sad, innocent look again. He smiled whenever she made that face, and his hand made it to her cheek where he tugged on it. "C'mon, let's get ya back in bed."

Levy spoke out of habit but no sound projected from her. She was silent as Gajeel pulled the sheets over her body, tucking them into her sides and resting the fabric just below her chin. "I'll come back in the mornin' when that blonde-bastard-boss of yers isn't hanging around."

Levy smiled brightly then, and she giggled but only a faint noise escaped from her. Gajeel smiled warmly, and he pushed off of her bed and made his way towards the door.

"Ya have to heal up fast," Gajeel started, and he stopped in the middle of the room which caught Levy's attention. He looked behind his shoulder then, and he had a sly half smile that couldn't mean anything good. "So I can take you out on a real date. No undercover business or nothing. Just the two of us. Together." He stepped out the door, and he shut it behind him just in time to see Levy's body sling upright in shock, and he could tell by the look of her face she was completely bewildered, and it was an adorable sight to see just as he closed the door. She needed the rest, and when she was better he'd make it up to her.

Gajeel was blushing heavily now, and he smiled to himself as the door behind him clicked shut. He knew Levy would overthink about it, and he hoped she wouldn't worry to much, he wanted it to be a good time after all. Gajeel almost physically jumped when he noticed Porlyusica beside him, holding a tray of medicine. "I hope you made yer minute worth it, the girl isn't going to be awake much longer." She informed him.

"Yeah, I said what I had to say," Gajeel claimed, placing a mask over his giddy face. He was serious again, the same unwelcoming glare that he gave everyone.

Porlyusica smiled softly at that, "Hmm, I see." She watched as Gajeel nodded at her and turned towards the exit, she observed the way his broad shoulders carried him and how his long hair brushed against the small of his back. He's went through so many physical changes since she'd known him as just a brat, and she worried deep down that he'd never mature and continue to reek havoc forever. Fortunately, Porlyusica saw something flash in his eyes earlier in Levy's room that gave her peace of mind and hope, and now she was wondering when exactly he decided to grow up on her. The mature, calculated side of Gajeel was fitting, and she was surprised that he didn't pick up a fight with her earlier, even when she purposely doused gasoline over his flames.

"Gajeel," Porlyusica called as she waved away the nostalgia circling around her. She gave the smallest smile to him when he turned around. "I'll make sure to wake Levy up in the morning before my shift ends. By nine you should be able to come visit her."

Gajeel nodded at the information, and one corner of his mouth tilted upwards. He descended down the hall and left Levy and Porlyusica to their business.

 **ooo**

 **That was a week ago.** It was a week ago and Levy was still horribly panicking over what she was going to wear. She'd considered so many different things, and it was hard to pick anything out of her limited clothing she kept at Lucy's house. Levy's bedroom was a disaster as she tugged outfits on and shimmied out of them whenever she didn't believe they were good enough for the special occasion. The day after Gajeel announced their date Levy tried in every way to wriggle details out of him. He kept avoiding the answer by reminding her she wasn't allowed to talk since she's already blown her voice out. Eventually he gave her a hint and told her the wear had to be formal, and now Levy was horrified because everything she owned was either too short and flashy or flat out too casual.

She was so distraught in what to wear, and she focused on her very faint makeup as she procrastinated her outfit. She was rubbing a sheer gloss over her lips when a dark figure emerged behind her reflection, and Levy screamed out startled before recognizing the big lump climbing through her window was Gajeel.

"Good God," Levy whimpered. "Considering the last time a man entered my window I killed someone and my entire house was destroyed, I really wish you wouldn't choose that as your entrance."

Gajeel looked apologetic. "I can't exactly knock on yer front door. Lucy doesn't know I exist, so this is the only option I could think of." Gajeel explained himself as Levy placed a hand over her racing heart. "Sheesh, Shorty, this place is a fuckin' mess." He sent her a mischievous grin and Levy clenched her teeth as she felt a fierce blush rush up her neck, but before she could defend herself a rapid set of knocks were banging on her door. Levy gasped before rushing towards Lucy and placing her hands against the wood.

"Y-yeah?!" She asked worriedly.

 _"Levy, are you okay?"_ Lucy's concerned voice was muffled behind the thick wood. _"I heard you scream, did you fall?"_

"Oh, uh, sorry it's nothing! I just— you know how I am! Clumsy as ever, _ahaha_!" Levy panicked as she rushed towards the door. Levy panicked when the doorknob rumbled beside her as Lucy attempted to twist it open.

 _"Huh? Why is the door locked? You never lock the door, Lev, are you sure everything is alright? You're not hiding something, are you?"_ Lucy's voice went up in tune as she grew playful, but little did she know Levy was freaking out.

"Wh-what? Don't be silly! Why would I be hiding anything?! I'm just—,"

 _"Then let me in, Levy!"_ Lucy ordered.

"I can't!" Levy practically squeaked.

 _"Ohhh, I get it,"_ Lucy giggled from behind the door. _"Is it those gross dirty books Cana introduced you to? God, the two of you are so gross! Levy, don't do that kinda stuff in my house, don't you have any decency?!"_

"What are you talking about?!" Levy cried out, hoping Lucy would get her telepathic message to shut up already and not let Gajeel know all of her secrets. She didn't even want to look behind her shoulder at the man by her window because she already knew the face he'd have on.

 _"Don't play stupid, I know ever since that sex store you've been collecting those dirty books like some kind of hobby. I don't know, I just can't get into that kinda stuff. I'm more of an adventure person, y'know?"_ There was silence as Levy remained mortified. _"Anyway, I'm gonna go out with Natsu, I was just letting you know. Be safe!"_ Lucy called out, and Levy listened intently for Lucy's footsteps to fade out and for the front door to slam.

"Oh thank God, she's gone," Levy sighed in relief, and leaned her forehead against the door. Only seconds later Levy's entire body reacted and she stood up quickly, and now she felt Gajeel's hands tracing her sides and following the curvature of her body.

He chuckled, "What books was she talking about just now?" He asked just as his hand landed suggestively on her hips.

Levy turned around quickly, "she's not talking about anything!"

"Hmph, I knew you were a pervert." Gajeel concluded, and he laughed when Levy stomped towards him and started raising Hell. She was going a mile a minute now that she was flustered, and as she overheated and tried to explain herself, Gajeel's words took her completely off guard.

"I'm glad ya got yer voice back," Gajeel started, and he didn't look her in the eye when he finished, "I missed it."

Levy's eyes widened at his words. "Y-you did?" She asked nervously.

"Yeah, you sounded ridiculous!" He laughed, worried of what he said earlier was too weird, and Levy's face melted into irritation.

"You ruined it," She grumbled. "I shouldn't have said anything." She pouted with disappointment and turned away from her.

"I like yer voice," Gajeel shrugged and he landed on his back when he fell onto Levy's bed. "Huh, this is pretty comfortable. Is this the same bed I tied you up on?"

"And I'm the pervert?!" Levy screamed out. "D-don't just say those things so openly!"

"I'm just kidding," Gajeel flashed a pearly white smile as he placed his hands behind his head. Levy pouted at him and turned back to the mirror where she could touch up. In the reflection she took in extra close to detail to what he was wearing; Gajeel really knew how to dress himself up when he wanted to. His suit wasn't too over bearing, he somehow managed to make it look loose fitting and comfortable, and she loved the way the dark charcoal shades intensified the color of his eyes. It was a beautiful contrast of color against his skin, and Levy smiled softly when she noticed an extra special detail.

"I think I figured out what to wear after all," she smiled, and she pulled open the doors of her wardrobe and picked something out that she hadn't been too certain of wearing.

"Ah? What's that?" Gajeel asked just in time to find Levy half naked as she slid on a new dress. His heart clenched then, but not on because she was indecent, his chest tightened when she turned around to look at him with a soft blush on her face. "See? We kinda match now. This dress is the same color as the detailing on your suit." She smiled cutely.

Gajeel smiled back too, and all he could think about was how cute he found that. He took in the detail of her attire. She wore a dark green off the shoulder dress that hugged her body perfectly, and the skin tight material made sure to show off her generous curves and best assets. However, the dress stopped at her mid calves, which helped in making it come off as more formal and modest. He loved the way her pearly skin was exposed, and he took in her neck and slim shoulders that sprouted out from the soft fabric curving around her chest. A delicate necklace was placed around her, just a few inches longer than the length of a choker, and her hair remained the same as she pulled her hair out the way with a matching dark green headband, but this one had a white rose sprouting out and contrasting with he dark colors.

Levy could feel Gajeel's eyes glazing over her, and nervously she ruffled her hair and stared at him shyly. "Like What you see?" She asked him.

"Yeah, you look great," Gajeel gulped and he stood up before he could make anything more awkward. "We should start headin' out. I got us a reservation."

"A reservation? How fancy," Levy beamed, but her smile wiped off when Gajeel began climbing out the window. "Wh-what are you doing? I can't climb out of that!"

Gajeel arched a brow at her in puzzlement. "Yer not the one that has to sneak around... it's yer house." Gajeel found it cute how Levy immediately grew embarrassed. "This place is packed with cameras ever since yer apartment got fucked. Don't worry, I'm parked behind the building."

"R-right," Levy nodded and she watched as he disappeared out of sight. She sighed and turned towards her reflection; she wondered if she did actually look great like he said she did. She worked hard on her appearance tonight. She shook away the insecurities and placed a light coat over her shoulders. Now that Autumn was descending over Magnolia the late nights were growing slightly colder. Levy wasn't lied to when she reached the alleyway between the apartments, and her heart fluttered when she found Gajeel beside his vehicle. He opened the door for her and Levy found it way too overdone.

"You really are surprising me, Mr. Redfox," Levy giggled to herself as she climbed in, and she heard Gajeel huff in response.

"You act like I'm not a gentleman," he remarked, and he met her inside the vehicle.

 **ooo**

 **Levy kept asking where they were going,** but Gajeel insisted it was a surprise. She was confused when Gajeel cut the engine in the underground parking lot of a large skyscraper, and the golden elevator that shot them up into the sky gave her no lead as to where Gajeel was taking her. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other as she started picking off her guesses for the restaurant. "Is it Kaowinsky's?" Levy asked, naming off fancy restaurants that were popular in Magnolia and even more popular with the women in the police department.

"Never been," Gajeel shrugged it off.

Levy pouted at that, she really had no idea where they were now, and she watched the ground grow smaller and smaller beneath them. "The Orange lantern?" She tried again.

"C'mon Levy, I wanted things to be way more special that that shit hole," Gajeel shuddered just thinking about it, and now Levy made a mental note to ask him of what horrible memories he must have made there. Before she could bring it up, the elevator doors opened, and Levy was greeted by men in white button downs and slacks.

"Good evening," two men greeted at the reception desk. A man with smoldering eyes pushed forward, and with a deep voice he spoke towards Gajeel. "You must be the Redfox reservation. I'm Cobra, I'll be your host tonight." The man stated warmly, and when Gajeel sent him a nod but nothing more, the man led them beyond double doors to an elegant seating area. The dim lighting gave an intimate experience, and the first thing Levy noticed was the large floor-to-ceiling windows that stretched across the entirety of the top floor. Levy was shocked at the beautiful view, and she picked her jaw off the floor before Gajeel could tease her.

Soft chatter and hints of laughter filled the vicinity, and Levy's heels sunk into the dark carpet as they were led to a table right by the window. Intricate gold detailing decorated the restaurant, and golden light fixtures warmed up the darkened lighting. Levy was so overwhelmed and sat down in front of Gajeel, and she waited patiently for the host to leave.

"Like it, Shorty?" Gajeel asked, and he leaned his chin in his palm as he watched Levy gawk at the scene and take everything in.

"Wow," Levy gaped, and when she found Gajeel grinning at her she couldn't help but smile. "I honestly don't think I've ever been somewhere so fancy!" She beamed brightly, but her face scrunched up nervously, "This isn't too expensive, is it? I really would have been fine with anything."

"Just enjoy yerself, Lev. I told ya I wanted to take ya out." Gajeel reassured as he reached over for a drinks menu.

"Yeah but..." Levy shifted in her seat, and clearly she was feeling a bit bad about it all.

"It's our first date, shouldn't it be special?" Gajeel asked with a reddened face. When Levy locked eyes on him, he felt his heart beat pick up again. "What do ya like to drink? Aren't you a wine kinda girl? We could keep things simple and get a bottle of champagne for the table."

Levy blushed furiously. She never drank much, but when she did it was usually out of peer pressure or to get absolutely wasted and wake up trashed in the alleyway or someone's front yard. She wasn't a very responsible drinker, so she tried to avoid it, and she didn't want to become a giggly, goofy mess like she always was when she was intoxicated. Also, she doubted this place sold fruity in-a-can margaritas that Lucy picked up from the grocery store, or the trash Alvarian Rum that Cana shoved down her throat whenever they wanted to black out. For fucks sake, Levy wasn't even old enough to drink!

"Just get what you want," Levy waved a hand in front of her nervously. "I'll drink anything!"

Gajeel furrowed his brows as he wondered why she was acting so out of it, but before he could say anything the waitress showed up.

"Hello, my name is Kinana, could I get you something to drink?" She asked politely, and when Levy glanced at Gajeel Kinana's eyes followed.

Gajeel's eyes narrowed as his eyes glazed down the thin menu. "A scotch for starters, the premium..." Levy tuned out his voice as she watched him interact. He ordered something she had never tried before, and with Gajeel all groomed up, his hair tied back by and securely snug in his suit, Levy couldn't stop the butterflies swarming in her. He was absolutely handsome, and he was sitting right across from her, treating her out to this expensive dinner and paying _her_ of all people his attention. It was almost too much to comprehend; her mouth was going dry and her hands were sweating, and although they've been on and off for more than half a year now, Levy couldn't help but feel like this time was more legitimate than the others.

This was a side of Gajeel she'd never seen before. He was so professional, so clean cut and impressively romantic and organized that she felt like she was dining with a stranger. She didn't mind it, however, and although she loved the rough, feral, wild and somewhat rude character she'd been associated and fallen in love with, seeing Gajeel so gentle and romantic was a definite treat as well.

"Levy," Gajeel called her name, snapping her out of her trance. "What are you drinking?"

Levy blinked before realizing she had completely been sent to dreamland. She scrambled for her menu and panicked when she couldn't find the drinks option, and she smiled warily. "Uh, I'll just have a water with lemon."

Kiana arched a brow before turning to Gajeel for an explanation. Levy didn't understand what she did wrong, and when Gajeel places a hand over her's, she almost fainted. She wasn't used to him being so affectionate in public, especially when they spent all their time trying to make sure they weren't seen together.

"What she means is," Gajeel started before glancing a look at Levy. "She'll take a glass of flat with a bowl of lemon wedges on the side."

"A glass of what?" Levy asked uneasily, but was drowned out by Kinana thanking them and proceeding to the kitchen. Levy sighed; since when was Gajeel this proper and into fine dining? She watched as a regular glass of water and some lemon was placed in front of her, and eventually Gajeel's scotch and then the display of wine came to the table. She smiled shyly when the waiters poured the glasses for them, and when Levy glanced at the menu she noticed a crucial detail.

"Gajeel... where's the prices?" She asked nervously.

"Don't need them," he shrugged as he read the many options.

"B-but then how do we know how much we're spending?" Levy practically cried out, and when Gajeel snickered at her outburst she pouted angrily. "I want to be considerate," she explained.

"We'll find out on the tab, so get whatever you want. Oh, and yer not paying anything." His voice was challenging and he made it clear that he wasn't backing down. Levy sighed and decided to go with something easy, and small talk filled the table once their first meal came out. Levy relaxed when she saws how amazing the food looked, but now she was distraught on which fork to use. She was getting a little embarrassed, as this seemed natural to Gajeel, and it didn't take him long for him to find Levy terribly uncomfortable.

"Levy, what's the matter?" Gajeel asked as he saw she hadn't touched their first course, and her lip quivered slightly.

"I'm sorry I'm such a peasant!" She cried out, making a few heads turn to her. "I don't know which fork to use, I, I never..." she stopped when Gajeel placed a hand to his face and looked elsewhere as he tried to hold back fits of laughter. Now she was pouting and watching him angrily. "it's not funny, stupid Gajeel!"

"Levy," Gajeel started as he collected himself. "Levy I don't care about that, what kinda guy do ya think I am?"

Levy kept her eyes down as she tried not to ruin the date. He was right, but she still felt silly about not knowing any better.

"If they judge us let them fucking judge us, I'll kick their fucking ass!" Gajeel promised as he tightened his hands into fists, and now even more heads were turning in their direction, but Levy paid no mind to them. Levy smiled warmly at that, and she felt a little at ease. "I just wanted to bring ya somewhere nice, that's all. It ain't cause I'm snobby or nothin'." Gajeel crossed his arms and his eyes narrowed as he tried not to grow too shy about it. "I... I wanted to impress ya, I guess..."

"I'm very impressed," Levy admitted. "It's a beautiful restaurant, no one's ever treated me this nicely before." She finished just in time for the two of them to lock into one another's eyesit took force for them to snap out of it and return to their food. Levy's heart was fluttering and she tried to play off how much he affected her. "Wow, this looks great, we should dig in." Levy chirped as she grabbed one of the many forks lining the tablecloth; she took a quick bite without thinking anything of it, and she was overwhelmed by the burst of flavor and exquisite taste. It was even better than she expected, and she paused and processed it all Gajeel was amused with her reaction. Something tightened in his chest when Levy flashed him a brilliant smile.

"Oh my God!" She exclaimed happily. "You have to try this, it's amazing!" She cheered as she pushed her plate towards him. The dish looked more like artwork than a meal since the thin slices of tender steak and what appeared to be seared salmon was arranged in a flower like design over her plate; a zigzagged drizzle of sauce and a garnish completed the meal. Gajeel reached for his fork but was taken aback when Levy leaned over the table towards him with her own fork in his face and a sample of her dish waiting for him. "This is one of the best things I've ever tasted!" She informed, and her smile was so vidid that Gajeel could feel his heart hammering against his chest, not to mention the fact that she offered to feed him was something no one did for him before.

Levy grinned widely when Gajeel took a bite, and her smile was contagious. The rest of their meal went lovely, with the two of them catching up on what had been on the other's mind. Surprisingly the subject of work never interfered with their conversation, and Levy laughed joyously at a story Gajeel had never told anyone before. He smiled lovingly at her, but she didn't catch it as she was oblivious to the way he relaxed whenever he was around her. She took a sip of the wine and it went down smoothly while eventually warming every inch of her body. It was so elegant in comparison to the cheap poison she consumed on the daily, and she could finish the whole bottle if she wasn't careful.

"How'd you find this place?" Levy asked curiously as she leaned back and teetered her wine glass side to side in her hand. "I've never heard of it before."

"I went here before when I was younger," Gajeel admitted, and he saw the way Levy grew still and slowly put her glass down. Something shifted in her stare and he caught on quickly to what she must have been thinking. "As a kid," Gajeel quickly explained. "I never taken anyone here before. We came here to celebrate somethin' for my old man."

"Oh, I see." Levy smiled, feeling better already. "I wanna know more about your parents. What are they up to nowadays?" Levy asked before she took a long sip of her drink, her curiosity getting the best of her. However, anyone could notice the way darkness crept over Gajeel's shoulders and consumed him, even if he tried to be subtle with it. Levy sent him a worried look then, and she stopped drinking her wine. "I'm sorry," she added without the smile she had on before.

"Nah, it ain't yer fault." Gajeel reassured. "My mom passed away when I was a kid, ain't got a lot of memories with her. My Dad—," Gajeel paused for a moment as he tried to figure out what to say. "— I'm not really sure what happened."

"I shouldn't have asked." Levy concluded, knowing better than to pry further. She was lucky enough he even trusted her enough to explain what he already had.

His eyes narrowed. "What about your parents?" Gajeel started, and he saw the way Levy bristled up. "I know ya ended up under Makarov's care, but... what were they like?" He asked, genuinely curious in getting to know her.

"Fire." Levy dismissed his question and cut right to the point. He was stunned when she replied so simply, like she was discussing today's events and not the tragedy that ended her family.

"That explains you acting out during last week's incident, then." Gajeel connected the dots as he referred to the Connell's home in flames. Levy remained silent as she pondered what he said, and to be honest she hadn't even considered that.

"Y'know they would have really liked you." Levy leaned her elbows on the table, laced her fingers and rested her chin on her hands. She smiled with her perfect teeth when Gajeel quickly disagreed with her and nodded his head rapidly.

Gajeel tested the wine. "I really doubt that, Shorty. I ain't exactly the take-home-to-ya-parents type." He placed his glass down and shot her a look, and she knew he had to be referring to his abundance of piercings, long unruly hair and scorching natural scowl. "I don't think they woulda liked me."

"You don't know that. I mean, _I like you_ , so I don't find it hard to believe that others couldn't like you either." She giggled then, and now the alcohol was taking its toll on her as she was growing more confident in expressing her feelings. Gajeel had a high tolerance and would take ages to get to where she is, but he didn't need the substance to make him feel warm and light headed. Levy was driving him crazy, and he couldn't remember the last time he felt so head over heels and nervous.

"My Dad didn't like anyone. He barely liked me." Gajeel opened up, and he looked Levy up and down for a moment before continuing. "I think you woulda been an exception."

"I know, I'm pretty great." Levy cheesed as the alcohol had finally buzzed her up, and that managed to make him crack a smile, even in a conversation such as this. Levy sat up straight when Kinana returned to their table.

"Your check, Mr. Redfox," she smiled as she placed it in his hands and left the couple to themselves.

"How much did we end up spending?" Levy asked, and before Gajeel could conceal the paper Levy plucked it from his hands. "We did eat a lot so I am curious—," Levy stopped before she could choke. Her mouth dropped to the floor and she quickly turned to Gajeel who looked indifferent. "Gajeel, we spent 30,000 jewels!"

"Yeah, guess we did." He replied as he pulled out his card, and now Levy was shocked all over again.

"Is that a black card?" Levy questioned. "Like an _actual_ black card?" Levy asked when she strained her eyes to take in the details, and GAJEEL REDFOX was engraved in silver against the dark surface. "No way, it is!" Levy noticed the Fiore symbol on the front and the silver strip on the back. That card was notorious for those that were loaded and only offered to people with incredulous bank accounts; it was practically a staple for status and bragging rights. Now she was staring at Gajeel completely bewildered. "Are you rich or something?"

Gajeel's mouth opened but he was interrupted when the waitress returned for his card. Levy felt a tad bit embarrassed as she might have overreacted a bit, and she sat back and began putting her coat on when they wrapped things up. After the silence, Gajeel turned to her. "Let's get going."

She caught on quickly that he avoided her question and didn't have an interest in answering it, so Levy dropped the thought for another time. Levy nodded at him and followed him out the restaurant. She began walking towards the elevator, but Gajeel took a turn left and went the opposite direction. "Gajeel?" She craned her neck to follow where he was going. "What are you doing?"

"There's somethin' I wanna show ya," he explained as he gave her a final glimpse, and he disappeared behind the corner before she could catch up wit him.

Levy adjusted her coat and followed him quickly, where he waited by double doors that led outside. Levy was confused, but she still smiled at him when he held the door open for her. She felt her heart beat pick up when Gajeel's hand grabbed her's without warning and led her to the railing. The two of them passed through a beautiful roof top garden, with fairy lights hanging above them and lining the cobble stone path. Levy remained close to his side in the cold, but her face was absolutely heated as they remained so intimate.

"This is the real reason I wanted to bring ya out here," Gajeel admitted, and Levy turned away from him to look out to one of the best views of Magnolia she'd ever seen. It was a beautiful city to begin with, but now on the outskirts of the city she could see everything from here, and every tourist attraction sprouted from the ground. She could spot the Magnolian river, the Ferris wheel, the pier and the many lights and attractions that made this city was so adored and well known. She knew it was just the same old city she dwelled in , but this spot in particular was so absolutely romantic. With the flowers around them, string lights and glistening river under the bright moonlight, Levy was absolutely breathless at the scene.

"It's beautiful, Gajeel." Levy whispered as the reflection of the lights made her irises dance.

"Ain't it?" Gajeel asked, and he admired the scenery, and he was showing a more delicate side to him that Levy knew he never showed to anyone else. He was absolutely vulnerable right now, and she couldn't help but feel special. "I knew the moment I saw this view, I wanted to share it with someone. I... I just had to find someone." Gajeel confessed softly, and he turned to Levy to find her crying.

"What the Hell?" Gajeel asked, completely thrown off. "Why are ya crying, Shorty?"

"I don't know," Levy said through her tears and a bright smile. "I'm just very happy you brought me here."

Gajeel relaxed when he realized her tears didn't originate from sadness. "I'm glad ya are, Lev."

"I mean I'll be honest with you, it's very bittersweet." She hugged herself, "this was the cherry on top for one of the best nights of my life. It's ending so perfectly, but it's still ending. By the time it's all over, I probably won't see you for a long time. Just like all the other times, you'll disappear again." She mostly spoke to herself as she couldn't find the courage to look him in the eye.

Gajeel tensed up then, and now he felt absolutely horrible. "Levy, you don't know that for sure."

"It's true," she continued. "I know you try to see me but... but I just really love spending time with you Gajeel, I..." She wiped away her tears and finished crying. She didn't want to ruin the night like this. "I... I don't want to be the girl you visit when you're lonely, or you're assigned to protect me... I don't want to be a job to you, Gajeel. You don't have to do nice things for me like this, just because you felt bad for me in the hospital."

"What?" He asked incredulously, and was so confused as to why she would even think that. "Levy, that's not why I did this, and I ain't ever seen you as a job—,"

"Then what am I to you, Gajeel? What do you see me as? What are we?" She asked then, and her questions rocketed out of her before she could stop them. "What am I to you? Because... because I don't want to be your one night stand, or your coworker, or your _friend_..." she confessed sadly, and the tears poured out of her more, despite stopping them successfully before. "I don't want to be any of those to you anymore. And it kills me because... because I know despite what I feel towards you, you can't return it back. You can't feel the same because of your job, because of Makarov, because of Ivan, because of _everybody_ telling us we can't be together. And so it kills me everyday, it kills me because no matter how much I want to be with you in the end it _never_ works. It only leads to problems." Levy wiped her eyes with the back of her hands, and now she wasn't sure if she was spilling her heart due to the alcohol or because her emotions were overspilling after collecting for so long.

"Then what _do_ ya want to be to me?" Gajeel asked her sternly, and he was back to that cold self again, the one that hid his emotions and how he felt. She felt it would be easier to admit to him if he was still romantic and sappy like he was earlier. Now it was even more of a challenge to admit her feelings given his defense mechanism had hardened him up again.

"I... I can't," Levy started as she turned away. "I can't tell you." She shook her head and turned away from him.

"Why can't you tell me?" He pressed further, but stop when she snapped at him.

 _"Because there's no point! There's no point telling you because we aren't promised anything!"_ Levy explained to him and she hadn't noticed her voice had raised in octaves and now she was screaming at him. "What's the use of telling you how I feel if we can't even be together? If we can't be seen in public? If went can't... we can't..."

Gajeel shook his head as he completely disagreed with her. "Levy, this job ain't forever... just... ya can tell me anything. Ya don't have to keep it to yerself just because—,"

 _"I love you!"_ Levy's voice cut him off as she cried out, and she balled her hands into fists to stop them from trembling. "I love you," she sobbed weakly, and she was shaking terribly now. She watched the way his expression changed significantly, and now his furrowed studded brows were raised and his mouth was slightly ajar. "And I'm sorry I feel this way, I'm sorry for making things complicated. I shouldn't... I shouldn't feel this way but I can't help it. Every time I push it away, it just comes back stronger. And I hate it, I hate that I can't control it but I... I'm too deep in now. And I'm sorry." She sobbed, and when she saw Gajeel with a solid stare, she felt her heart drop to her stomach. When she realized what she was saying she quickly stepped away from him.

When Levy pulled away from him, Gajeel was snapped out of his trance. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry, I have no idea what I'm saying." She apologized as she tried to pull away, but was stopped when Gajeel grabbed her by the crook of her arm. Levy's face snapped towards him, tears streaming down her face. She wanted more than anything to run away, but he held her tightly as he stared at her intensely.

"I do too," he spat out, pushing the words that refused to leave his body. Damnit, it's how he felt, so why was it so hard to say? He watched the way Levy's face softened some, but her eyes remained large and startled. "I... I do too..." Gajeel tried again, and he grimaced when it didn't sound right, he clenched his teeth before pushing all of his fears aside.

"You're... you're lying," Levy quickly announced to justify his confession. It just couldn't be real, there was no way, and she snatched her arm out of his hold. "I don't believe you. You... you don't— this was a mistake," Levy panicked as she backed away, but she was stopped when Gajeel closed the distance between them and cupped her face in his hands. Before she could protest he pressed his lips against her's, passionately, lovingly, and suddenly Levy felt as if her body had grown weak. She remained there, craning her neck to give him better access to her lips, and her hands rested against his chest as she leaned against him, relishing in the feeling of being with him.

When their lips parted and they remained inches away from one another's faces, Levy searched his ruby eyes for answers, answers to what the Hell was happening to her.

"Do ya believe me now?" He asked her with a soft grin, and he kept a hand on her cheek as he admired her. Levy took a deep breath in then, and she backed away once more, but Gajeel stopped her. "Levy..." Gajeel started softly. "Please don't go."

Levy refused to look at him, she was so nervous and scared, so worried as to what he thought about her. His grip on her tightened and as she fixated on the river, the twinkling lights, she heard his voice creep up to her.

"I want ya to stay. I want to be with ya, too." He confessed before clenching his jaw. Levy finally looked up at him with questioning eyes.

"How are you so sure? When did you realize that?" Levy asked him quietly, and her insecurities were spilling. She'd been promised these lies before, and she'd ended up so heartbroken and destroyed. She didn't want the same thing that happened with her and Laxus to repeat itself, and now she was absolutely worried about falling in love again. "Did you know it all along or...?" When Gajeel remained silent, she tried to ask again. "When did you learn that you wanted to be with me?"

Gajeel looked at her grimly, but it was just his usual serious face that made it hard to read what he was thinking. He stepped closer then, and Levy looked up at him with worried eyes.

"Remember that night your house got broken into? And ya found me on that roof top?" Gajeel asked.

Levy nodded, and she could feel her heartbeat in her temples. "Gajeel, That was months ago." Levy was almost breathless thinking about it. In the seven or so months they've known each other, she couldn't believe that he'd had anchored his feelings so early on.

"I think that's when I realized things were... different." He tested the words, and he pulled her closer to him, where he held her by her hands. "That's when I started falling for ya... it's when I first realized..." he spoke softly, and it was hard for him to confess but so much time had already been wasted. If Levy could admit her feelings, she deserved to know the truth. "That's when I fell in love with ya, Lev, at the top of Cafe Rogue."

Levy smiled then, and tears strummed down her face just thinking about it, but she smiled brightly in contrast and even let out a relieved laugh. She was so overwhelmed and happy, so relieved and couldn't shake off this amazing feeling. "I'm sorry, I don't know what to say," she admitted, and she squeezed his hands in her's. "I... I can't pinpoint an exact moment where I fell in love with you," she started, and so many memories flashed through her mind as she contemplated her emotions. "I never expected to feel this way, it just crept up on me when I least expected it. I never saw it coming, and before I knew it I was engulfed in the feeling, I was absolutely taken over and—," she stopped then, and their eyes met before she smiled beautifully. "I couldn't thank you more for this feeling."

Gajeel smiled brightly then, and when Levy continued crying, he sighed and pulled him close to her. "Come here, come here." He patted her back, and when she wiped her tears she smiled against him. They stayed like that for a moment, and the two of them watched the stars and the bustling city life of Magnolia, and although so many sources of life were around them, they felt as if they were the only two on Earthland.

"Levy, let's go back to my place." Gajeel suggested.

Levy raised her brows, "are you sure?"

"We can't exactly go to yours," he gave her a half-smile, and the more Levy weighed the options he ended up being right.

"Okay then, lead the way, Mr. Redfox," she beamed at him, and she held her hand out for him to take, in which he gladly did.

 **ooo**

 **For the second time that night Levy** found herself shooting towards the sky in an elevator. The two of them were quiet as they were still processing the scene on the roof top. She watched as the floors rapidly went up to the 77th, and she was surprised when Gajeel led her towards the room 777.

"Wow, you're really high up, aren't you?" Levy started small talk to help ease the silence.

"I like how quiet it is," Gajeel admitted. "Besides, I wanted the floor to myself, I couldn't stand the neighbors."

"You have a whole floor?" Levy asked quickly just in time for Gajeel to open the door to his home. Levy gasped at the view, and she was stunned to see the incredible 360 degree view. Levy stepped in, unable to comprehend that this was where Gajeel slept at night, and her heels clacked against the black hardwood floor.

"Make yerself comfortable," he nodded towards the living space in front of her. "I'll make us some drinks."

Levy nodded without saying anything, and she advanced slowly towards the living room set up that consisted of a large charcoal rug, the gray sectional and the dark wood tables. Everything in the home represented Gajeel's sophisticated and gloomy taste in colors, and she couldn't help but notice how clean and pristine everything was, as if he'd never lived here at all. When she didn't sit down, Gajeel called from the bar of the kitchen.

"Somethin' the matter?" Gajeel asked her, and Levy slowly turned around to meet his eyes. She looked so unnatural in his home, and he felt like he was still dreaming, but there she was in the middle of his living room, with the large windows behind her and the city of magnolia wrapping around the both of them.

"I hate to sound so intruding," Levy started shortly, and she held her wristlet close to her as she thought about her words, "but I really doubt Makarov's paychecks could pay for something like this. It's too luxurious." Her eyes narrowed and Gajeel felt slightly on the spot, but he had seen it coming. "Is it... Is it Ivan supplying this to you..?"

Gajeel released the breath in his chest when he realized that's what she worried about. "I aint want nothing to do with dirty money, Lev, if that's what's bothering you. Ivan pays me, sure, but believe it or not it goes towards Makarov and what we're fighting for. I turned it over because I don't need it, and what Makarov pays me handles the bills and is enough for me to maintain and manage."

"Okay... then how do you have a penthouse on the 77th floor?" Levy asked, and although it was simply curiosity she sounded as if she was interrogating him.

Gajeel formed a grim expression and popped open a bottle without breaking eye contact with her. "Inheritance."

"Inher-," Levy stopped herself short when Gajeel poured two glasses silently, and it processed in her mind what he was telling her. "So you're saying..."

"My dad disappeared seven years ago when I was seventeen." He held the glasses in his hands and walked towards Levy in the living room. "During that time was when I lost myself, got involved with Jose Porla and some of the darkest memories of my life."

"Wait, you were associated with _the Jose Porla?_ " Levy practically gasped as she accepted the drink, and she recalled all of the horrible stories she recalled on the News and everything she managed to find out whenever she eavesdropped on the Master during her teen years.

"There's a lot of bad shit I've done, Lev." Gajeel started shamefully as he took a sip of his drink and trailed his eyes towards the city. "A couple years back Makarov pulled me into his office, gave me some news on my father. Next thing I knew, I was passed down more money than I knew what to do with."

"So whatcha do?" Levy asked, referring to the situation with his father, but Gajeel answered differently.

"Look around," Gajeel huffed as he nodded towards the condo. "I closed myself off."

Levy glanced down at her drink and suddenly wasn't interested in it. She watched as Gajeel downed his glass and set it aside, his back still turned to her. He flinched when her arms wrapped around his torso, and she rested her cheek between his shoulder blades.

"I'm sorry, Gajeel, it must have been really hard." Levy frowned.

"It's over now."

"But still," Levy pestered, trying to show him that his feelings mattered and that he didn't have to keep hiding them, and she hoped he would tell her more than what she was already receiving.

Gajeel turned around then, "Things could be worse." When Levy didn't reply he sat down on the couch, and when he expected her to sit next to him she surprised him by perching on his lap instead. Now Gajeel was stunned with her resting on him, and she gave him a stubborn pout. "What did I say?"

"You can express your feelings with me, ya know," Levy scolded. "You don't have to keep up your tough-guy-act all the time, sheesh, don't you ever get tired of that?"

"I'm not doing no act," Gajeel defended as his eyes darkened.

"I guess you're right," Levy agreed with a mischievous grin. "At the end of the day no matter how scary you act you end up being this big, snuggly teddy bear." She giggled when Gajeel gritted his teeth, he was so adorable when he was flustered. "What's the matter? You're not denying it, big teddy bear," Levy rubbed the tip of her nose against his back and forth in a little "eskimo kiss" to prove her point. She was really laughing now when she watched his skin grow red, and Gajeel concluded that maybe she didn't need that extra drink, she was tipsy enough.

Levy's laughter ceased when she was immediately flipped around, and her back landed on the couch and she found herself pinned down underneath Gajeel. Her eyes immediately went to his face where shadows darkened his features, and all she had left to truly focus on was his glowing red eyes narrowed into slits and his displeased frown. "Huh, sobered up pretty quickly, didn't you?" His face lowered towards her as his hands clamped down on her wrists, "ya say I'm cute, but I've never seen a teddy bear receive such a fearful reaction." His voice dripped out of her liquid metal, scalding her with his hot, passionate and alluring tone.

Levy gulped but didn't back down from the challenge. "You're right, but don't for a second think I'm scared. I could take you on _easily_." She talked big, even pinned down and completely consumed by his shadow.

"I _highly_ doubt that," Gajeel's mouth twisted into a mischievous grin and he grew even closer to her. "Ya really did it now, Levy. I'll accept your challenge, go on and prove to me you can handle yerself." His voice lowered and grumbled in her ear, and Levy felt her entire core shake at his dark, sinister voice. It was so undeniably sexy that she immediately felt herself grow hot and bothered. She gasped when Gajeel's tongue reached her neck, and the tip glided up towards her jaw where it swiveled against the sensitive spot behind her ear.

Levy's fingers clenched tightly as she tried not to be too obviously bothered, but when his teeth sunk into her delicate skin her breath hitched and her chest pushed upwards as her back arched against the furniture.

"Gajeel!" She cried out when his kisses grew lower, and now reddish-purple marks painted her exposed collar bones and shoulders. Levy was completely under his mercy, pinned down by his strong arms and his knee securing himself between her thighs, there was no running away, and she loved being under his control like this.

"I'm gonna make ya take back yer words, Lev," Gajeel promised as she felt his breath against her neck.

"Do it," she dared, and her wish was granted when he claimed her lips in his. His hold on her weakened and Levy broke free so she could rip at his shirt and pull him closer to her; her fingers entangled in his hair and his hands freely roamed her body, all the parts that he missed so dearly, and the two of them drowned in one another's passion and they tried to close every inch of space between them.

They were breathless, and as they pulled apart from one another Gajeel observed Levy panting beneath him. The shoulder-line of her dress was a bit lower than it started off as, but she was still covered, and he looked at the red love marks blossoming over her skin, her blushing face and the way her lips remain apart as she panted. Her eyes were glowing, and she looked at him with such a loving face, all for his taking, and although they were both terribly heated another feeling dominated his hunger for her. His chest felt fuzzy and warm, and he placed a hand on her cheek as he gently caressed her face.

"Levy..." he started softly, his voice back to delicate and gentle.

"Gajeel..?" She asked him carefully, with one of the softest voices he's ever heard her speak with.

"Be with me, Shorty." He didn't ask but stated, and his face remained hovering over her's. "Be mine."

Levy was silent momentarily, but her stiff form softened as she smiled beautifully. "Gajeel, are you asking me to be your girlfriend?" She teased, finding it cute how he struggled to find the words to express how he felt. She'd remain patient with him, and it didn't matter what words he chose to say for in the end she melted regardless.

"I want to be with you," he tried again. "I want... I want more, Levy." Gajeel's eyes softened and she could tell he was slightly nervous. To ease his worries Levy gave him a sweet peck on the lips.

"I want to be with you too, Gajeel." She smiled lovingly.

"So you..." Gajeel started, slightly shocked that she agreed so easily and calmly.

"I'm your girlfriend!" Levy beamed brightly, and the two of them fell into relieved laughter and embraced. She laced her fingers behind his neck and pulled him lower to her so she could kiss him properly, and Gajeel gladly allowed her to pull him closer.

 **[XXX]**

 _"Gajeel! Ahh!_ _Gajeel!"_ Levy's high-pitched voiced shrilled throughout the penthouse as Gajeel rammed into her from behind. Her upper half was completely pushed against the dark gray sheets on the king sized bed and just being in an environment so heavy with his scent drove her absolutely insane. The cold bedding was in sharp contrast to the man's heated skin pressing against her, and she hissed when he bit down on her shoulder blade and left another mark for his own liking.

"Levy..." He groaned. What had originated as a romantic, soft and gentle love-making had curved out of line and somehow ended up being a wild, passionate tango between the sheets. Not that neither of them were complaining, and the soft kisses, sweet whispers and gentle touches were genuinely appreciated while they lasted. However, the two of them learned quickly that they preferred a rougher nature of sex, and that they enjoyed the raw, passionate and steamy sessions. Gajeel was delicate, but it was Levy who pushed his gentle motives aside and did everything in her power to drive him absolutely crazy.

She wanted him to take full control over her, and worked every trick up her sleeve to make him go wild, and her pestering and roaming hands made Gajeel's body tense up until he couldn't take it anymore. Somewhere along the line Levy had advanced onto him, kissed his neck and left marks as she pleased, and the daring, dirty promises she leaked into his mind sent him into a frenzy where he flipped like a switch and absolutely took over her.

Levy had gotten exactly what she wanted, and now she was clawing the sheets so tightly that the skin over her knuckles was turning pale. _"Oh God!"_ Levy shrieked as she screwed her eyes shut, and she bared down on her teeth as she processed the sensations coursing through her. She couldn't even vocalize and inform him of her climax, as it ripped through her so quickly with such little warning that before she knew it her thighs were shaking considerably.

"Gajeel..." she whimpered hopelessly, and by now he knew the visual signs of her climax that she didn't have to announce whenever it occurred. He smiled a satisfied grin and his tongue ran across his bottom lip as he watched her collapse pitifully against his bed. "Gajeel, how can you last so long?" She questioned with a moan, but she didn't tell him to stop. Her back arched beautifully as she shot upwards when Gajeel positioned himself in a different angle, which he knew would drive her absolutely mad. Levy was already reaching her limits, and their love making had past through the deep hours of the night, making this the longest the two of them have ever went. Although she absolutely craved it, she wasn't sure if her body could keep going.

 _"I'm not done with you,"_ his voice growled. "Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what you begged for?" He reminded as he thrusted in and out of her relentlessly, and as he questioned her Levy's vision darkened as she began seeing stars.

"Yes! Yes it is!" She cried out in defeat as his fingers wrapped around her neck and brought her closer to him, arching her back even further. "I wanted this, I want you, I need you-," Levy cried out pitifully as the pleasure overcame her, and somehow she realized after exchanging their desires for one another it had only amplified their sexual experience. Now she craved him more intimately, and that intimacy mixed with their passion and fire to beautifully create a mind blowing sensation.

Gajeel couldn't agree more as he pleased her, and now with her melting in his arms he couldn't help but realize how crazy he felt for her. He wanted to take care of her, and he'd never experienced intercourse where he so helpless loved and adored the person he was with. This was different, they weren't just fucking, they were making love, and Gajeel was addicted to the feeling that swirled in his mind and made him feel intoxicated just thinking of it.

Levy's breath hitched and her whimpering continued, and Gajeel couldn't last any longer after hearing Levy's cries for him. He buried his face into the crook of neck and released the tension that had built into him, and a final cry out caused the two of them collapsed against the bed, exhausted. Levy nuzzled her face into his bare chest as he pulled her close to him.

"Holy... fuck... Lev," Gajeel panted as his arms tightened around her, and he felt his eyelids grow heavier as his body sunk into the bed sheets.

"Have fun carrying me everywhere because I doubt I can walk against after that," Levy whimpered half asleep, and her absurd comments ended up making him laugh loudly.

"C'mon, I didn't go that hard on ya, don't be a big baby." Gajeel smiled when Levy pinched his cheek with disapproval. "You know you liked it," He opened one eye to find Levy lying on her own pillow and staring at him lovingly. "At least it sounded like you did," he added with a cheeky grin, which made her pout angrily. "Huh, good thing I have no neighbors."

Levy giggled beside his ear. "You're the worst, Gajeel." She replied, and she gently kissed his lips. "Goodnight." She whispered softly, and that was the last thing he remembered as he drifted to sleep with her pleased smile being the last thing he saw.

 **[XXX]**

 **Gajeel awoke in the middle of** the night feeling an immediate sense of loneliness. His arms stretched out in a cuddling position but no one lied in his hold. He was left to sleep in the king size alone, and his eyes adjusted to the dark as he looked around for Levy. He stretched his arms and tugged some sweat pants to cover his body still bare from his activities with Levy, and he left his room and descended into the living space where he immediately found her.

It wasn't hard to find cerulean blue hair in the midst of consuming dark colors. Levy was perched on his sectional with a throw blanket over her shoulders. Her back was turned to him as she watched the night life of Magnolia bustling busy as ever given this city never rested, and it kept her company in the late hours of the night as it stayed awake with her. The condo was perched on the shore of the large river, it looked almost like the ocean at night, descending into darkness where it's limits were unknown, and the remaining life on the other side couldn't be seen.

"I can't sleep either." Gajeel started slowly as to not frighten the girl who was staring out into the distance. The whole apartment was surrounded by windows so it made sense that all one could do in this space was admire the city's lights. "What's keepin' you up?" He asked her, and he sat down a few feet away from her on the accent chair parallel to her.

He watched her reflection in the window, and she hugged her knees to her chest as she remained silent. "It's a beautiful view, but I can't help but imagine it would be so lonely to watch by yourself," Levy mentioned as her eyes shifted in his direction and she caught a glance of him. "Watching all these people live their lives, having places to be, families to tend to, and the slow switch of office lights turning off as people settle down for the evening," Levy continued, her thoughts spilling out of her. "I just can't help but think of how lonely you must have felt up here."

"It can get lonely," Gajeel agreed quietly. "But most times I don't mind it."

"But sometimes..?" Levy trailed her voice and waited for him to finish her thought.

"Sometimes it's shit," Gajeel replied roughly. He turned to her then, "When I first met ya I noticed that despite having so many people around ya, ya always stayed to yerself. Ya lived on yer own, didn't have anyone special, and all yer focus went towards yer job. Wasn't that lonely?" Gajeel countered, pushing the spotlight to her instead.

"Perhaps," Levy replied. "I was still new to my job that I was constantly working and trying to better myself, I don't think I even had time to feel lonely, but sometimes it would hit me late at night, just before I'd drift to sleep. I don't think I had enough free time or space in my mind to worry over something like that." She smiled when she realized how much her life had changed since then, and early Spring felt like a decade ago.

Gajeel and Levy didn't exchange words for a moment for a moment as they enjoyed one another's company in the comfortable silence. Gajeel found himself staring at her far too long than he'd planned, and with her bangs brushing against her brows and the moonlight illuminating her pale skin, Gajeel couldn't help but take in how fragile and gentle she was. The woman proved she wasn't a force to reckon with, and she could horse-kick the fuck outta someone into the next universe- Gajeel learned that the hard way - but in the peaceful silence of the condo he couldn't help but understand that she was still so soft.

"Why'd ya choose being a police officer, anyway?" Gajeel popped the question as he leaned back in his chair. "Ya proved to everyone yer not one to mess with, but it just doesn't fit ya at times."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Levy narrowed her eyes at him.

"I'm not talkin' about yer physical abilities or anything," Gajeel clarified. "It's just... why didn't ya pick something with books? Ya love to read, yer _brilliant_ and it's somethin' you're passionate about, ya just seem like the type to be a professor or something with literature."

Levy smiled, "thank you, no one's asked me that before." Levy thought about it, "at least not that nicely." Her smile wiped off and her eyes fixated back onto the city's lights. "There's someone I have to take down."

"Take down..?" Gajeel asked with an arched brow, he wasn't expecting this kind of answer. "You mean like-,"

"I'll kill him if I have to," Levy's eyes tapered with determination, and something vengeful blanketed her. Now there was a tension that filled their silence, and Gajeel couldn't for the life of him stop the abundance of questions crashing through his mind. Levy continued, "For the longest people assumed I became an officer to please Laxus or to make the Master proud, but in the end it had nothing to do with either of them. This had to be done for myself."

"Who are ya after?" Gajeel asked, and his mouth tightened into a line. "Levy, don't tell me it's Ivan."

There was silence then, and Gajeel was uncomfortable when she didn't deny it. He didn't know how to tell her that was a horrible, terrible mistake. He saw the look in her eyes, and that was the kind of look found in someone who had anchored their decision and wouldn't be persuaded otherwise. He remained calm until she brought up something that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand.

"I caught you staring at my scar again," Levy admitted, and it was the last thing Gajeel had ever imagined she'd say to him right now. When he didn't reply she slowly released the blanket draped over her shoulders to reveal that she was still naked after their love making. "Do you want to know how I got it?"

Gajeel didn't say a word, he felt so absolutely caught off guard, not to mention it felt as if someone swiftly punched him in the gut. The wind was knocked out of him, and his blood grew cold as his heart sunk deep into his stomach. Did she know? "Why are ya bringing it up?" Gajeel asked as he concealed the trembling in his voice.

"I've noticed that every time we have sex you try to not look at it, and if you do your face turns sour and you look uncomfortable. At first I was worried you were repulsed by it, I know it's bad..." Levy started as her finger traced over the light pink rigid mark that lined under her breasts. "I don't tell a lot of people about it, and I cover it so often that many don't even know I have a scar."

Gajeel nodded to show he was listening, but he couldn't find the courage to speak.

"Five years ago I was walking home after a music event. I lost my way and ended up in a rough part of town. I was hurrying home when two men attacked me, they tried to kill me, they-," Levy choked up just thinking about it, and every muscle in Gajeel's body tightened when he saw tears threaten her eyes. He'd never thought anything of it after that day, he'd never remembered Levy, but instead when that memory crossed his mind it was associated with his first murder. He never once wondered how her well being was, what his actions did to her mental health. Levy blinked away tears and refused to cry, a guttural voice erupted from her, something sinister and pained that didn't match her at all. It frightened him.

"One of them _touched_ me, he ripped open my shirt with a blade and that's how I got this scar- and the other one had the audacity to _watch_ and held me down," she choked out, but she was less emotional about this than he expected her to be. Despite her trembling voice she was calm and quiet, and it was evident she had accepted this memory a long time ago. Time didn't erase wounds, but it did ease the sting off of them. "For the longest I couldn't shake the feeling of how little my life meant to the world, how insignificant I was to them, how I was so easily taken advantage of. For the longest I thought it ruined me, and this scar is something that will haunt me for the rest of my life, but now..." She placed a hand over it as she took a deep breath. "Now it serves as a reminder that no matter how hard I train and how hard I work, my job will never be done. I refuse to let any other woman go through the same fate as mine, no one deserves it... and although one of those men were murdered, the other is still alive, and he's out there somewhere, somewhere in the shadows of this city."

Gajeel felt as if gravity was caving in on him, the way she spoke about his past self sounded bitter and disgusted, and she spoke of him as if he were the scum of Earthland. Her eyes roamed over the buildings and the streets that looked like liquid gold filling the cracks of dark asphalt. "With everything happening, I haven't dug into the case files yet, I'm sure I'm not even authorized, but I can't let him get away. Until I end him I will not stop my work, I'll keep training, so I can be prepared for when I take him down, whenever that time may come." Levy's face turned to him but she was oblivious to how pale Gajeel had grown.

"That's why I became a police officer," she swore, and she glared at him deeply to show just how serious she was.

Gajeel felt paralyzed, and he turned away from Levy when she stood up and wrapped the blanket back around her. "I'm sure you have your own stories as to why you joined Makarov and his work, especially after being associated with the likes of Porla. However, I'm sure that's a long, juicy story you can tell me later." She sent him a smile, and now her voice was simmering down and returning to it's sweet tune. "It's so late now. We should probably get to bed. Are you coming?"

"Y-yeah, I'll be there shortly. I just need a minute." Gajeel nodded as he half-rejected Levy's invitation. Levy's mouth open for a moment as she wanted to say something, but now Gajeel seemed so closed off and quiet that she'd rather not bother him. She hoped her short speech didn't rub him the wrong way, and she walked herself to his bedroom.

"Y'know... you can tell me anything, Gajeel. Whatever's bothering you... I'll always be here to listen. Please don't close up again," Levy spoke softly behind him, and she waited a few second before descending back into the bedroom.

Could Gajeel _really_ tell her anything, though? He was trembling. He couldn't believe what she had just told him, and never in his life would he imagine that what he did five years ago would shape Levy's life forever. It's the reason she chose her professional and it was all in hopes of casting her revenge and taking him down for good. If before he felt he didn't deserve her, now he didn't even feel worthy enough of sharing a bed with the woman. His mind was torn in so many different directions that he was getting a headache, and he felt nauseous as he replayed the entire conversation in his head.

Just as he believed things had finally become normal, things couldn't have grown more complicated.

 **A/N:** a part of me was nervous that I made them say I love you way too soon, but then I realized we're like 14 chapters and 150k words in so I said fuck it let the LOVE BEGIN. Also I'm bad with fluff I hope this was good enough! Thank you guys for reading! **I'm also so bad at fluff this was supposed to be a sweet chapter and look how i ended it, I'm the worst.**

And I wasn't sure where to put a title reference in this book (tbh it's so irrelevant I just thought it sounded cool) but now I think it's beautiful that it symbolizes the moment Gajeel fell hard and completely for Levy, it kinda sparked his route of character development and just highlights a very special moment for him. *Tears up*

I decided to place three chapters very close to one another because I have a lot of exams due, and depending on if I come out alive you'll see me soon! Thank you again!

Fun fact: Chicago was my inspiration for this AU of Magnolia, so I randomly found the VistaTowers as inspiration for Gajeel's home. It's the 360 penthouse if anyone is curious as to how I imagined this apartment lmao (and it's right next to the lake which I referenced to Magnolia's river, oh I'm so happy lol).


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

 **If the circumstances were different,** Gajeel would have woken up peacefully that morning with Levy snug between his arms. However, the opposite scenario occurred and his eyes shot open alertly when smoke wafted into his bedroom. He was already on edge, he'd practically fallen asleep with unsettled nerves, and now he was tearing past the sheets and climbing to his feet as quickly as possible. He immediately noticed that Levy wasn't beside him and he panicked even further.

Gajeel catapulted out of bed and rushed into the living area, only to find the smoke collecting in a thick cloud above the hallway, and later he figured out it was originating from the kitchen. He placed a hand to his forehead as he visibly relaxed, he really was an anxious mess nowadays. He was relieved to find that his entire condo wasn't engulfed by flames, and now he could hear the scurrying of small feet padding against the hardwood, in a scattered and panicked motion.

Levy bolted back and forth sporadically across the kitchen with a worried look on her messy face. Her eyes were glossy with fear as she fanned around her frantically with a notebook she found lying around and wafted the smoke away from the alarm. She was jumping here and there given how far up it was, and the whole scene was almost enough to make him crack a smile. He pushed himself off of the wall he'd leaned against as he watched Levy interact with his home, she seemed so out of place and everything was accustomed to his height, and he found a dining chair perched by an open cabinet where she couldn't reach.

Unfortunately for Levy, the momentary peace vanished as the smoke grew heavier and her fanning didn't cease it's persistent siren. The smoke alarm picked up and now Levy was speeding even faster in his direction, but unaware that he had waken up, she slammed right into his chest face first. She stumbled backwards but was caught when Gajeel reached out for her. "Levy," he started worriedly, and the girl's closed eyes fluttered open when she caught her balance.

Her vision cleared to find the remarkably handsome face that she had fallen asleep next to. She gulped momentarily, still amazed at how much Gajeel could effect her despite all the obstacles they'd climbed over together and everything they had cleared up. She would have been certain that after establishing a relationship and clarifying her feelings the days of being tongue tied and absolutely flustered would come to an end, but Gajeel had proved her wrong on many things. She stared elsewhere, and her eyes didn't roam around long before a throbbing sense waved over her skin. It wasn't anything serious, just a dull unnoticeable ache that would vanish in seconds. It was the soft chuckle under his breath that had caught her attention and gave her reason to meet his piercing eyes.

"Ow..." Levy mumbled as she pressed her hand to her forehead, and she was mortified to see Gajeel smiling down at her.

"Good mornin'," he greeted as he passed her and tapped the button on the fire alarm with what she noted as relative ease. She'd never seen the man ever step on his tip toes, that would explain the challenge Levy faced when trying to silence the alarm. Levy gawked at how tall he was, and he didn't even have to find something to step on to reach the detector. She would have had Hell trying to turn that damn thing off, and she was grateful he didn't walk in on her doing a running jump in an attempt to try to shut off the consistent beeping. Then he'd really have something to tease her about, but something told Levy that Gajeel wasn't in the mood for joking around. She didn't know how to explain it, it was just something she could sense by now. She didn't need body language anymore, his tension clouded the air around her.

"G-Gajeel," Levy started nervously, and she messed with her hands as she pouted towards the ground. This definitely wasn't how she wanted the morning to start off. He wasn't supposed to wake up yet- she was going to wake him up in a very romantic and rather specific way, and after she had melted him into putty she would revive him with the breakfast she'd already prepared. She had it all planned out, but now that was going down the drain as Gajeel was wafting smoke out of his kitchen, which if it weren't for him, would had been ashes by now.

"Watcha cooking?" Gajeel asked as he glanced at the stove top, and although everything was absolutely burnt to a crisp, he could pick out the breakfast items she'd salvaged from his fridge. As he observed the mess Levy stepped to the sideline to give room for his pacing, and she blended in with the wall as she curled up and made herself small.

Levy turned red just thinking about it. Cooking was never her strongest skill but she thought that maybe things could be different if she kept things extra simple and followed the directions carefully. She fiddled with the hem of her apron as she shrugged the whole idea off, hoping her indifference to the situation would cover how embarrassed she was to be caught like this. Everyone always made fun of her for her horrendous cooking, and now she would find Gajeel would be like the others and pick on her as well.

"I- I was just... I was trying to make you breakfast." She met Gajeel's dark eyes and found a surprised light in them, almost a flattered tint to his red if anything. She bit her bottom lip as she contemplated what to say, and when Gajeel didn't respond in a flirtatious or mocking way like she expected out of him, she slumped her tense shoulders and kept her eyes on him. "Because you looked sad last night." Levy added and she turned towards the stove and sadly scraped the burnt eggs off the skillet. The food was crumbled charcoal, and now she had to worry about soaking his dishes that she partially ruined.

She just wanted to see him smile again, that's all, but from the looks of it she couldn't have failed more. Gajeel grew still beside her, and although his heart was fluttering from Levy attempting such a thoughtful act, he couldn't brush away last night's conversation.

"That's why I became a police officer," she'd sworn, and she glared at him with so much intent he knew that there was nothing Levy was more passionate about. He couldn't shake off what he was feeling, and he knew she was waiting for him to say something but he'd been blank since last night. With so many chaotic thoughts in his head and his mind working overtime one would think he'd be able to pick something out of the mess and figure out what to say. Instead he remained sullen a few feet away from her as he started to help clean up, but it was Levy's outburst that knocked him out of his trance.

"Ahh!" Levy cried out as her touch landed on one of the hot surfaces, and Gajeel sprung to action and ran a dish rag under the tap's cold water. He took Levy by surprise when he grabbed her hand and secured the cold surface against her burn, and she sighed when relief settled over the temporary sting. She felt her face heat up after being so careless, but perhaps she was blushing due to Gajeel's kind and gentle action. His eyebrows puckered and he looked rather irritable, which made Levy's guilt deepen. "I'm sorry," she blurted out, but Gajeel didn't respond to her.

His eyes narrowed as they focused on the palms of her hands, and flashbacks to one of the most worrisome nights of his life came back in full blow. He'd never ran so quickly, never worried about another human so terribly, he didn't know how to handle a situation like that, and all he could do was remember the relief flooding in him when he at least saw she was functioning. What would he had done if he'd lost her? What would he have done if she were seriously injured and still in the hospital right now? His thumb rubbed against the smooth skin of her palm, so familiar now to him.

He was grateful that she only suffered first degree burns, and they had healed perfect, as if nothing had ever happened. There were soft pink patches here and there, but they were too small to notice to an eye that wasn't searching for them. In fact, nothing on her body would lead someone to believe she'd rescued a child from a burning building, and for that he couldn't be more relieved. The pad of his thumb had slid down Levy's ring finger, and she watched him carefully, she knew by now what that scowl of his meant, no matter what form it came in.

"I'm fine now," Levy claimed as she tried to ease the worried look on Gajeel's face, she smiled softly to help persuade him. "You don't have to worry about it."

"I know," Gajeel acknowledged, and he released Levy's hand with the cloth still in her palm. A tense share of eye contact left Levy questioning but not verbally asking any of her thoughts. When he tore away, she watched with a tad bit of embarrassment as he trashed her burnt cooking, which consisted of destroyed bacon, crispy eggs and a pancake that didn't even cook all the way through. She watched as it stuck mercilessly to the pan, only to break open at the top and reveal uncooked batter in the middle.

"I'm sorry I wasted your food, the truth is I don't think I can cook," Levy blushed from beside the sink, and she kept her eyes down worried that he'd tease her.

"There ya go again, apologizing more than ya should." Gajeel grumbled as the contents of their breakfast rattled in the trashcan. Levy pouted and looked away, sure that his tone of voice was repulsed disappointment. A ghost of a smile appeared on Gajeel's lips.

"This was nice of ya, I'm really happy ya thought about me." Gajeel spoke up, and his choice of words didn't really match his dark demeanor, but the man lightened up an abundant of shades whenever he was in her presence. It took Levy by surprise too, and although he felt himself closing up and his chest tightening, he continued. "I think it's really cute of ya, Lev, it means a lot that ya even tried for me." Gajeel spoke up, and a stunned Levy immediately snapped her head up to find Gajeel with his back faced towards her. He was sorting through his fridge, completely unaware of how much his words affected her. Levy's heart was beating like crazy but she smiled warmly, and she wondered if he even knew what he was saying. She hoped Gajeel would open up and be more willing to express his feelings like this, especially the cutesy ones.

"Thank you, Gajeel," she smiled with rosy cheeks. She couldn't explain how happy his words made her. Just when she was certain he'd tease her like everyone else had in the past, he approached her mistakes so kindly and with so much consideration that she felt a few years form in her eyes. They were happy tears, but they were blinked away when Gajeel turned from her. He leaned into his fridge and pulled out a few ingredients, some Levy hadn't even considering grabbing.

His blush was hidden away from her. "If yer still learning, ya should try cooking things one at a time." He started, and Levy was mesmerized as Gajeel started preparing breakfast. From the way he was moving so swiftly, chopping with the same speed and precision as the popular master chefs that were so famous across Fiore— she couldn't help but find Gajeel's sense in cooking so professional. She watched slightly ashamed as he tossed in an arrange of peppers and onions into the skillet, and seconds later a scrumptious sizzling sound and smell could be detected from the kitchen. He made it look easy.

"Wow," Levy gawked at the scene, and she held her face up as she leaned on the counter with her elbows. "This is so cool."

"It's just an omelette," Gajeel waved off the compliment as he was unsure of how to properly take it. He could go on and on about the type of omelette he was cooking, but he wasn't sure if he'd sound stupid or not. What he was preparing was a classic Fioren dish, although he was sure Levy would enjoy Alvarian cuisine. That version would have a runny inside and not necessarily vegetables, more herbs and placed with potatoes. And then there was the version that had originated in Extalia— there were plenty of recipes he knew, and that was just omelettes.

There were tons of dishes he could recreate for her, and if the tension and circumstances in their lives would allow it, he'd maybe even be able to teach her how to cook. Unfortunately, with the way things were progressing, small, precious and quality time with Levy sounded like a pipe dream. As stupid as he thought it all sounded Levy's curious eyes and wide smile said otherwise.

"Yeah it is just an omelette, but you're cooking it so that makes it amazing!" Levy chirped joyously, and Gajeel peeked behind his shoulder to find her smiling a mile a minute at his kitchen island. The scene was too surreal for him to comprehend, and he still felt like he was asleep. He felt as if he hadn't woken up from that nightmare, where Levy showed him her scar and informed him or her oath of revenge, and somehow that nightmare was shifting pleasantly into a different scenario. Waking up with her and cooking her breakfast felt like a dream come true, and now his emotions regarding the girl were all over the place. The cold and warmth between the contrasting moments made him nauseous and he tried not to think of either. He turned away and carefully slid the omelette onto a plate for her.

Gajeel leaned across the table and watched her closely. He admired the way her eyes lighted up when he presented her the meal, and the way her cheeks flushed red when she caught him staring at her. Levy took a bite and although Gajeel was confident in his cooking he grew nervous when she was silent. Her eyes sparkled and he visibly relaxed, and she continued eating with the happiest look on her face. He adored the way she bounced her shoulders as she enjoyed the taste, and then the beautiful smile she beamed brightly for only him. To say he was absolutely hopelessly in love was an understatement; at this point all Levy had to do was look at him and he'd tumble at a loss for words.

"Oh my God," Levy melted and she fell over the kitchen counter. "I think I just want to heaven!" Her dramatic reaction was cute enough to make the sullen man smile softly at her.

"And no kitchens were destroyed in the process," Gajeel teased with a mischievous smirk, but he didn't get the reaction he was looking for. One of the best parts of being with Levy was being able to press her buttons and hearing what witty remarks she had for him, which most of the time always resulted in her winning when it came to best comeback. This time, however, her smile softened into something more serene and she gave him a long look.

"You picking on me must mean you're feeling better." She concluded as she pushed aside the omelette on her plate with her fork, thinking of what to say next, but settling on silence when relief took over her instead. Even though she ruined breakfast, at the end he was smiling and that's all she truly wanted.

"I was never feeling bad," Gajeel informed her.

"Gajeel, I'm starting to get to know you pretty well. It was obvious something was bothering you last night, I just decided to respect your wishes and leave you be. That was probably a mistake..." her smile faded and now she looked at him worriedly. "You're okay, right?"

"I'm fine Lev, it's just..." His eyes focused in on her worried stare, and his chest tightened and his muscles tended as he realized this was it, this was the time to tell her. Right her and right now, and he tried his best to force it out. "Levy, it's just—,"

"Is it work?" Levy asked carefully. Her words were concerned but not at all surprised, it wouldn't have taken her off guard if Gajeel was having troubles with Ivan again. It should have been old news by now, but the twisted boss always had new horrible schemes up his sleeve for Gajeel and the rest of the front line to worry about, and it seemed that recently Gajeel could never catch a break.

Gajeel took this opportunity without even hesitating. Although this was probably the perfect time to tell her about that night five years ago, in the morning when she was well rested, calm and probably her most reasonable, he didn't have the guts. He nodded shortly and crossed his arms over his chest. "It's work," he replied shortly and agreed with Levy's assumptions. "They're demanding from me more and more than I can handle. I... I don't know how often I can see ya." Gajeel started, and he hadn't realized this was him naturally blocking her off to defend himself from getting hurt. He wanted to prevent her from knowing the truth, but Levy wouldn't be closed off so easily.

"Gajeel I understand." Levy promised, but her tone in voice was different than before, there was a tinge of disappointment, he could detect it from miles. He tensed up at the thought of upsetting her. He turned around, ready to comfort her but she'd beaten him to the first word. She smiled down at her hands and spoke softly, and eventually that warm look of her's met his eyes. "Honestly I'm really grateful to have spent this much time with you to begin with, our time spent together was very special to me." She added, hoping to make him feel better, but when Gajeel sent her a smirk she blushed horribly at how sappy she was being. She was shy about expressing her feelings but she didn't want to take them back, so they hung in the air for him to interpret how he wished.

His smirk warmed up into a smile, and when he leaned in towards her she found a light in his eyes that wasn't there when he'd first entered the kitchen. "I enjoyed it too, Levy." He agreed, and that was all he needed to say to make her ease up.

Levy smiled beautifully then, and with a little ounce of courage she reached over the island to hold Gajeel's hand in her own. He looked a bit stunned, every small moment of touch and contact still foreign to someone who was only programmed for rough and physical intimacy, but he was becoming accustomed to the brush of her gentle fingers and her body so close to his. Her thumb ran back and forth over his knuckles soothing, and for the thousandth time he was lost in her eyes.

"I thank you for everything you do for me, Gajeel." Levy leaned forward in her seat, hoping to get closer to him despite the distance of the counter.

"Lev..." Gajeel gulped then. He had so much to worry about, so much to do and so much to say and yet in that moment none of it mattered at all. All that concerned him was the blunette beauty perched in front of him, and by the second he was falling more and more under her spell. How one woman could have him so tongue tied and wrapped around his finger would always be a mystery to him. He leaned in closer as well, and just as their lips were meant to graze Levy gasped and her eyebrows raised.

"Levy, what's the-,"

Levy scrambled some before backing away from him, ceasing the short moment that had sparked between them. "Oh my God!" Levy exclaimed as she noticed the time. "My shift started ten minutes ago! I completely forgot I switched with Lu, I'm so sorry!" Levy rushed away from the island but made sure to inhale her omelette so Gajeel's efforts wouldn't be wasted. Her jaw practically unhinged like a snake's and she wiped the back of her hand against her mouth. "Wow Gajeel, that was delicious, you never fail to surprise me!" She spoke fast and pushed her dishes aside and ran past him.

"Th-that was impressive..." Gajeel noted as the plate was clean in five seconds, and a short figure rushed passed him and tore through his home to get ready. The sound of clothes ruffling could be heard as she dressed herself, and items toppled off surfaces as she knocked over her belongings in the process.

"Oh my God, there's so much to do today, I can't believe I'm gonna be this behind, and I didn't even realize that..." Levy went into a complete ramble as she pulled on her outfit from last night, shimmying into that forest green dress and tripping into some heels. Gajeel remained in the kitchen glowering with his arms crossed over his chest, and although he was listening to her, he couldn't help but feel completely frustrated with himself that he'd went this long without telling her. He just couldn't find the proper time to explain to Levy that he once considered and almost successfully murdered her when she was fifteen. He couldn't shake the feeling off, and now the fear of her finding out the truth about his face was even more terrifying for him.

What would he do without her? Now he was so deep in he couldn't remember what life was before meeting her. How could he go on without small moments like these? Making breakfast, having her grab his hand when he leasts expects it, and the small things about Levy that he learned to simply adore and long for. There was too much to risk and lose, and his heart ached thinking about it.

Levy shot out towards the doorway in her date night outfit, and now it felt like years since last night on that roof top where she told him she loved him. Was she capable of forgiving and loving someone so evil? As badly as his thoughts tormented him she sent him a radiant smile that made every voice in his toxic mind shut up instantly; all he could do was stand there speechless at her beauty, and something in his cold, horrid heart melted with warmth. The cherry on top was when Levy crossed the kitchen, stepped onto her tiptoes and grabbed his face where she planted a very sweet kiss on his lips.

"Thank you for breakfast," she grinned and took a moment to gaze into his eyes before rushing away, leaving him absolutely speechless. "Have a good day, be safe at work, don't do anything stupid!" Levy cheered as she waved happily and slammed the front door behind him.

Now the still man was left alone with his thoughts, and the penthouse felt colder and appeared dimmer than it had earlier. It was as if Levy carried an abundant natural light with her, glowing the moment she walked in and making the room grow a few shades brighter. He hadn't realized how in the dark he was until she stepped into his life, both accidentally and full willingly. He kept his arms tightly against his chest as his glare melted the hard floors, but then he softly gave in and his body relaxed as he released his tension. He placed a hand to his tired face and exhaled deeply.

 _He felt like a fucking idiot._

 **ooo**

 **"I understand your concerns, but** there isn't much you should worry about. Levy isn't authorized to snoop for that information, she's already in more trouble than she thinks she is for even being associated with you." Makarov took this moment of silence to drink from his warm cup of tea. The thought was outrageous to him and he didn't believe Gajeel should feel too concerned, but the dark, gloomy cloud hung over the man anyway.

The days were getting shorter and the air was growing dry and chilled. Something warm sounded good right about now, but Gajeel didn't believe he could stomach anything. He always was convinced that nothing could melt this ice surrounding his heart that made him grow colder and more closed up by the minute. He had had come such a long way to finally warm up, and now everything seemed in vain now that the possibility of losing Levy forever had dawned on him.

"With everything going on, to say the least I've been going easy on her, but my patience runs thin. She won't be getting into anymore trouble as long as I'm around, so you can relax." Makarov's voice was stern but reassuring none the less for Gajeel. Gajeel was crumpled over the armchair perched in front of Makarov's desk. He had his face buried in a hand and anyone with functioning eyes could see he was nearing his breaking point. Makarov kept his back to him as he gazed out of the windows, considering what to say next.

"This gives you time to tell her," Makarov reminded helpfully. "It'll be better if you brought the news up yourself, if Levy were to find out on her own her reaction is unpredictable. Five years turns the wound into a scar but the dishonesty of it all is what will open it back up and make it sting—," Makarov's voice came to a halt when Gajeel slammed his hands on the desk and pushed himself to his feet.

 _"Damnit!"_ He roared as he balled his hands tightly into trembling fists. The master's expression was neutral despite the sudden outburst, and his eyes softened with sympathy when he observed the way Gajeel clenched his teeth and narrowed his eyes.

"For fucks sakes it wasn't supposed to be like this," Gajeel grumbled as he glared downward at the desk. "I was gonna tell her, damnit, but after what she said..." his mind flashed back to that moment for the four-hundredth time that morning. "Laxus knows, doesn't he?" Gajeel's question thundered out of him like a demand, and his voice was so rough, so spiteful than what the Master had ever heard from him. "He has to, it's why the damn bastard is so protective over her. It's why he's so cold towards me when it comes to Levy."

Makarov was quite for a moment as he observed the troubled man before him. Gajeel was a truly threatening character when he chose to be, and it only aided the master in noticing just how much Levy's light had softened his rough edges and warmed his heart. Once so consumed with darkness, that depth of sadness and despair rose to the surface momentarily in Gajeel's outburst, which worried the Master as to what Gajeel could become without Levy by his side. At such a vulnerable state, he could grow dangerous again, maybe even more cold hearted than he originally was. It worried the master to even think of, but it could be a possibility. In other words, Gajeel would not handle it well. Gajeel turned his back to the master and laced his fingers behind his neck as he huffed and groaned at the predicament.

"Of course he is," Makarov's tone didn't match Gajeel's distressed state. "Your past inconvenienced many of us, Gajeel. That's putting it nicely." Makarov explained, and he sent a sharp stare in his direction that made Gajeel bristle up for just a second. "However, I ordered Laxus to keep his information classified. To be frank, it isn't her place to know that much to begin with. Even if I didn't order Laxus, he'd have no reason to even tell her those criminal records. It's not her place." Makarov was only speaking the truth, but his stern tone made it almost sound a bit harsh.

"Good." Gajeel answered coldly, but there was an uneasy discomfort that rested beneath his words.

"You'll find the courage," Makarov was certain of it, and a smile formed on the old man's face. It made his eyes crinkle at the corners. "Amongst all of my brats, I'd have to say Levy is truly the most peaceful and forgiving of them. I'm sure she'll come around, even if her reaction is initially unpleasant."

"Let's hope so, old man..." Gajeel replied uncertainly, but their conversation did help him visibly relax somehow.

 **ooo**

 **The natural sound of the gymnasium consisted of** the beat up air conditioner and the large industrial fan that rotated just below the ceiling. This serene silence was interrupted and rough panting could be heard, along with sneakers squeaking against the floors and the occasional roar of someone charging with an attack. The still and stuffy air had been disturbed by the training taking place, and now a large cry ripped through the atmosphere.

 _"Aghhhn!"_ Levy wailed as her body shot backwards, and although she successfully caught herself on the ground as she fell, she miscalculated her judgments and tumbled backwards regardless. Her landing was pathetic, it hadn't been this off since they've started, which could only mean Levy was tiring herself out. She rolled to a halt and quickly landed on her palms and knees, and her eyes burned into the floor mats beneath her before she shot a sharp glare up at Gajeel.

The man remained in the middle of the room, death cold glare and absolutely sullen as he hadn't moved even in an inch from where he was standing. For the past hour she'd given him everything she had, and all he moved was his arms and occasionally a block with his leg. She'd done a complete 360 degrees around him, jumped and skidded across the padded floors in a circumference around her enemy, and frustrating enough he hadn't even stepped a few feet forward from where he originally started.

"Hmph," Gajeel smirked mockingly. "Don't tell me that's all ya got," his eyes narrowed and there was no humor detected in his voice to match that sly smile of his. Levy's increasing anger made his grin wipe off and a tight line took its place. He was being colder than usual, and that only made Levy want to defeat him even more.

When Levy had first heard Gajeel was training her again, something fluttered in her stomach and she greatly looked forward to it. Now that he was beating her up, she felt resentment and disappointment coil within her, and she hated to admit that she was truly giving him everything she had. This couldn't be the cap to her power, could it? After everything she's went through in almost a year, she had to have gotten stronger some way or another! His words taunted her and she scraped her nails against the mats as she clawed in frustration.

"Just give it up, Shorty," his voice reached her and snapped her out of her sizzling anger. She looked up to find Gajeel's arms crossed tightly over his chest and his eyes lowered towards her, almost in a way that made her feel inferior. "You haven't been training hard enough, you're not going to beat me at this rate. Just call it a day and we'll try this again later."

"No, I'm not giving up!" Levy unintentionally screamed out with all the force left in her body. She pushed herself upward, her body shook uncontrollably and she fell weakly despite her courageous outburst. Levy landed on her forearms instead, and held her body up by leaning against her elbows before she pathetically slapped the mats with her face. Everything in her hurt, her muscles refused to cooperate and she couldn't for the life of her get herself up. It wasn't supposed to be like this...

"Did you really think that because we're together I'd go easy on ya during yer training? A real battle doesn't work like that." Gajeel started, and his boots ended up in front of her face, showing he'd crossed the distance between them just to lecture her.

Levy forced herself to roll over some just to be able to look him in the eye. "Yeah, yeah," she blew off his speech with the narrowing of her eyes. "You really know how to piss me off, Gajeel."

"I'm just trying to help," he muttered. "Let this dawn on ya, Lev." Gajeel started, and he watched the young girl blink away tears and bristle up at his voice. "If ya can't beat me, that means you have no business in going after that criminal of yers. Yer no where near ready to take them on." His eyes narrowed as if this were some kind of warning, and now she was really fired up.

"Is that really what this is all about?" Levy asked incredulously. She couldn't believe he'd even bring that up. That was a sensitive topic for her, he shouldn't have said that and she'd make sure he'd regret it. "What do you know?!" Levy screamed as she jumped up quickly with more energy he thought she'd have left, and she charged at him carelessly this time. His antagonizing was fueling her emotions and messing with her calculations, and it was easy for him to flat out grab her and slam her down on her back. Levy gasped as the air knocked out of her, and although the fall was graciously cushioned by the padding, it didn't change the way she was stunned when the world flipped around her.

Now she was trying to focus her vision, the gymnasium was spinning around her, and something burned behind her eyes. She focused her breathing, it felt like her lungs just caved in but it was only the force of the landing that shocked her momentarily. The spinning had stopped and she watched the large, industrial ceiling fan of the gym circulate above her, but her peaceful image was disturbed when Gajeel's face hovered over her.

She grimaced just by looking at him, and she'd lie if his indifference towards her didn't sting like the sharp slice of a knife. Her body was burning from her fingertips to her inner core, and she was almost trembling with rage just thinking about all of this. Their last few training sessions had been encouraging and positive, she'd landed countless hits on Gajeel and even made him lose his balance once; he'd congratulated her multiple times, and now that she realized he was going easy on her she couldn't help but choke up some. She had been so proud of herself during those training sessions; jumping up and down and hollering in front of Gajeel and Lily whenever she had successfully hit them, when in truth the two of them weren't even using a fourth of their strength. It was utterly humiliating just realizing it.

"Yer letting what I say get to ya," Gajeel explained sternly, and his brows remained furrow and displeased. "Ya can't think clearly when ya let yerself get worked up. The worst thing ya can do is let yer emotions fuel ya during a battle."

Levy pushed herself up but kept her eyes on him as she did so. Gajeel remained on one knee in front of her, and when Levy didn't reply, he matched her rough stare.

"Why are you being like this?" Levy snapped at him, and Gajeel wasn't thrown aback by the question, he'd waited for it.

"Like wh—,"

"Stop playing stupid," Levy interrupted rather harshly. "You're being mean and you know it. Why?" She demanded, and she looked beyond pissed off but her voice was surprisingly smooth and calm.

"I'm not being mean," Gajeel answered as he lifted himself off the floor. "I'm being hard on ya because that's what ya need right now. Wanna know what's mean, Shorty? Lying to ya and letting ya believe ya have what it takes to fight yer enemy. Allowing ya to get yerself killed for the sakes of sparing yer feelings, that would be mean."

Gajeel did feel a bit regretful when he caught a look of her. Levy was a mess. Her hair had been thrown out of her headband ages ago, and her bangs stuck to her skin and the rest of her hair was a frizzy mess. She was blotched red and sweating all over, and the poor girl was so out of breath and overworked he was worried she'd faint. Gajeel felt something tug at his heart and he placed a hand out in front of her to grab hold of, but she wrinkled her nose at his sudden kindness and picked herself up herself. The rejection felt like a physical slap.

"Levy, ya deserve a break," Gajeel suggested sadly. Being cold to her was more painful for him if anything. He didn't want to see her hurt or disappointed. Levy ended her stubborn act and for once they could agree on something. She twisted open a water bottle and chugged relentlessly. Now she felt suddenly weaker, and she leaned against the wall behind her before her knees could buckle in.

"So is this one of your many methods of pushing me away?" She asked, and she wasn't oblivious to the way Gajeel slightly jumped. "What else do you have up your sleeve? I don't like surprises." Levy asked coldly as she pulled her hair back into a pony tail.

Gajeel gulped then. Levy was full blown pissed off, and every time she was angry he felt extremely uncomfortable. You'd think a girl like her would be adorable when a bit upset, but Levy was anything but. She proved she wasn't a force to be reckoned with, and Gajeel grew pale just from the flame in her piercing eyes alone. He collected himself so his voice would be sturdier, but he still ended up sounding shaken up.

"I ain't pushing ya away," Gajeel defended with a noticeable shift in tone, but he wasn't convincing either of them.

"Was this the Master's order to discourage me like this or was it Laxus? I'm leaning towards Master given you and Laxus can't share eye contact without wanting to kill one another." Levy's eyes narrowed as she interrogated him.

"It was no ones order, I decided to train you like this," Gajeel declared, and the stiff way he spoke to her was enough to prove he wasn't lying. Levy narrowed her brows then but sighed anyway. Her tension released as she couldn't find the energy to glare at him any further. She turned slightly away from him and now Gajeel's chest was tightening all over again. He believed this was for her own good.

"Okay, then explain the pushing away part," Levy pried with a persistent look that he had grown very familiar with.

"Shorty—,"

"Don't lie to me, Gajeel." She ordered as she closed the space between them. "Something is eating at you and I know it. If you think ima let you kick me to the curve because you don't want to admit what's hurting you then you couldn't be anymore wrong." Levy declared finally, not changing her mind. She stepped forward when Gajeel didn't say anything, and her eyes softened and her mouth curved downward into a frown. "I want to be here for you, Gajeel. I want to be by your side, so let me."

Gajeel was unsure of what to say. With Levy looking at him so genuinely he felt he could tell her even the most fucked up secrets hidden in the depths of his mind. She's the only person he felt wouldn't completely judge him, and some way or another it terrified him how willing he was to open up to her. There were a lot of things bothering him, he'd start with that, but the night from five years ago would have to wait.

"Ivan," Gajeel admitted, and he bristled up from sounding so vulnerable. "Ivan wants me to give him information on Lucy, tons of it." Gajeel looked over to see how Levy was clearly taken aback, and apprehension made the hairs on the back of her neck stand. At this point the sound of Ivan's name made goosebumps prickle her skin, and now hearing that the lord of human trafficking and chaos was curious in a beauty like her best friend, Levy gulped as she tried to remain calm.

"So that's why I haven't been seeing you," Levy connected the dots. In actuality, she wanted to ask what Ivan could possibly want from Lucy, but if Levy tried hard enough she could probably predict exactly what it was Ivan would desire.

"Yeah."

"And Makarov..." Levy mentioned, allowing Gajeel to finish what she was thinking. Everything Ivan told Gajeel immediately went to Makarov; certainly the master wouldn't be as careless as to put Lucy's life in danger like this.

"He's already working on it." Gajeel answered her lingering thoughts. The two of them stood in silence, and in this momentary peace Levy could finally catch her breath, but it didn't change the way her heart beat sped rapidly.

"You know, one day this will all be over." Levy reminded quietly, and her eyes looked elsewhere towards the sun setting through the windows of the gymnasium. "This nightmare will be done. We'll be far, far away from this. It'll be behind us."

Gajeel caught a glimpse of Levy beside him. A shadow overcame her features and it was then that she allowed herself to be visibly worried. Her positive mask she constantly wore was breaking down, and the bags under her eyes were more prominent now. Gajeel knew how important Lucy was to Levy, and in some way or another he was starting to realize that he meant something to the small girl as well. Now both him and Lucy were in danger, and he could only imagine how badly this would eat at Levy later.

"Yer right," Gajeel agreed as he stepped intimately closer to her, their chests inches apart from one another. "But as of now it's reality and there's no running away. We have to do everythin' we can to get through it now, we have to if we want this to be over."

Levy remained to herself for a second, and when she spoke up Gajeel felt chills run down his spine. "Gajeel, do you think we're going to die?"

"Levy, don't say things like that," Gajeel reprimanded her harsher than he meant to.

Her statement made him bristle up, and his eyebrows furrowed angrily, but he wasn't angry with her. Her eyes were wide and glossy, and she stiffened up as horrible scenarios played through her mind. She looked back on Flare trying to murder her, and Gajeel and Lily almost losing their lives, and the way the Connell family was tortured in their own home. No matter how violent their reality was becoming, she couldn't justify this being a normal thing. They weren't supposed to be getting picked off like this. It wasn't right.

Levy didn't flinch at his tone or his statement. Instead she clarified why she felt the way she did, she wanted him to understand her worries. "We put our lives on the line every single day. Sure we've made it every time, but what if it isn't because of our skill? What if it's just plain luck, and what happens when we run out of it?"

Gajeel wish he had the answer for her. There was something off to her, and he could see it in the way her shoulders slumped in defeat and she turned towards her locker. "I see why you don't want me fighting as much. I get why you made training impossible today... I understand your intentions—," she was cut off mid sentence when she felt Gajeel's hand grab her own, and she turned around to find him with a saddened look. He pulled her towards him and she allowed her body to follow his orders.

When her head landed against his chest, she immediately felt peace. He wrapped his arms around her tenderly. "Levy, I ain't ever wanted to hurt ya..." he spoke sincerely, and his words held more hidden meaning than she could ever imagine.

Her lips parted slightly when she wanted to say something, but she swallowed her words and instead looked elsewhere from him.

"And yer insane if ya think I'll ever let any one of those damn rat bastards hurt ya. I think ya been overworkin' yerself, cause there's no way in Hell I'm letting anyone lay a finger on ya. Over my damn dead body." Gajeel promised, his hands on either side of Levy's face. His gaze pierced into her, pledging to her silently that her life was protected in his hands. Levy smiled sadly up at him, and her hands reached up to hold his wrists as she softly closed her eyes.

"Thank you, Gajeel." Levy smiled beautifully, but then her eyes opened and a mischievous light took over her eyes. "So much for pushing me away. Look where we ended up."

Gajeel turned bright red then, and he pulled away from her immediately and walked off which made Levy spill out with laughter. "Wait, I'm kidding!" She giggled, and she sped up just in time to wrap her arms around him from behind. Gajeel stopped in place, still blushing, but got over his flustered feeling when a small voice spoke up from behind him.

"Please don't close your heart to me," Levy pleaded, and sadness coated her words. "Whatever it is, we'll get through it. Together."

Gajeel turned around slightly to meet Levy eye to eye. She released him and stepped aside, a worried expression on her face. He reached forward then and planted the softest of kisses on her forehead, which left her warm and shot tingles down her spine. She was so flushed and flustered about it but she reminded silent with her lips parted.

"Yer right," he smiled gently. "Cmon, lets get back to work." He suggested, and he began walking despite her answer. Levy knew he wasn't completely opened up yet, but this was progress, and this was the first time they've spoken to one another all day. She'd give him time, and she was grateful he was trying for her. Until then she'd focus on training, and the chaos surrounding Ivan and Lucy would have to be worried over later.

 **ooo**

 **Gajeel cracked his neck both sides** and released a low groan as he craned his face upward. His muscles ached with every move; it had to be the stress settling in his body, and the back breaking work Ivan was putting him through didn't mix well with the mind numbing orders Makarov hammered on him. Just when he desperately needed a break, Gajeel found himself staring upward at the towering stories of the Heartfilia manor, and the damn home looked like it came straight out of a movie.

This was bullshit. He twisted his torso to crack his back and then worked on his neck, furrowing his brows when the rapid pop-pop-pop shot up towards his head. This wasn't anything he wasn't used to, he just didn't feel like it was his job, and if Flare hadn't been murdered in front of him it would have been her assigned to Lucy Heartfilia instead. She would have enjoyed it, she referred to the rich brat as "blondie" and would lick her lips anxiously as her stare hollowed— in other words she didn't hide how insane she was about the police officer.

Now she was dead. She was a faded memory from a few months ago that no one talked about, but Gajeel remembered her. He remembered the cell, and every time he passed by her torture chamber a horrible chill ran up his body. He could only imagine the pain she went through, the sick torment, and he'd gotten deep in enough to hear the stomach churning shrieks that went through the underground base, deep in the web-like maze. He didn't want to go further, he deep down feared what he would see, and although everyday he gave Makarov information and they did something about it, he felt like he wasn't doing enough. Innocent lives were suffering so close to his proximity and yet he had orders not to help a single one of them. That was what was driving absolutely up the wall mad.

He understood that they couldn't shut down the whole Fioren Mafia overnight, but damnit he should be doing more than he is. He felt as if he was more on Ivan's side physically at this point, and breaking into the blonde's manor supported this twisted thinking. The worst part of the guttural shrieks of agony he heard on a regular basis was the fact that he'd imagine Levy in that position; an innocent girl swept off the streets and handed every ounce of torture that she would never in a million years ever deserve. It made him sling upright in bed with a heavy sweat covering his body, and many nights remained with little rest as his worst nightmare was Levy ever ending up in there.

If there was anything Gajeel would ever swear upon, it would be the certainty that Levy would _never_ suffer in there. He'd stomp the whole mafia to the ground and slice Ivan's god damn throat before anyone even laid a finger on her, and slithering through one of the estates's large windows was the first step to Ivan's downfall. Gajeel shook the melancholic thoughts out of his already overwhelmed mind and landed silently on soft gray carpet. He was in an office of some sort, and the large desk, grand throne and array of bookshelves lining every inch of wall helped him conclude his location. He didn't even know where to start.

There were major things Ivan demanded. Information on Jude Heartfilia himself, who was out of the country momentarily, and of course he wanted the headcount of the staff; the servants, maids, those that tended the garden and the annoying butler that Gajeel always made sure to sneer at. What Ivan planned to do with that information was beyond Gajeel's knowledge, but Makarov stared at him sternly when he nodded towards him that afternoon, and with that being said the mission would go on.

The large map of the place left a few clear indicating spots to check. There was the grand ball room, which housed the servants quarters behind, the upstairs corridors and the library. These were the largest of rooms and would hold the most faces he'd assume, everything else would talk stealth and concentration. The only person he truly worried about was the business-like wench Aquarius, who intimidated anyone who crossed her path. Gajeel was indifferent towards her, but she'd be hard to sneak past and deceive, even for someone with his level of experience.

Gajeel took his mental notes as he slithered through the never ending corridors, avoiding all cameras expertly as he was trained to do so. His hands remained clenched in his pockets and his usual mean glare took over his features. He was in a constant scowl now, and things haven't been the same since that night with Shorty, and he knew he had to stop thinking about her but he couldn't. There was that same dull pain in his chest again, it wouldn't go away, and what accompanied it was that low drop in his stomach and the worried thoughts in the back of his mind. His heart was aching and he didn't know how to handle it, and so his mood worsened and he practically stormed towards the library.

He lingered around, and he was impressed by the size of the room, with bookshelves lining stories upwards to a glass dome ceiling that let rays of sunlight illuminated the tables below. It was an impressive collection, he didn't understand why one person would need so many lousy books given they'd never read all of them. It was a waste of space, but it was peaceful, and he felt himself ease up only momentarily. In the silence he could hear the gentle gliding of paper sliding against paper as someone flipped the pages of an old novel, and Gajeel peered through the volumes he concealed himself behind. There at one of the tables was Lucy herself, and he watched carefully as he watched her read over some kind of document.

"This whole publishing thing is a lot harder than it sounds, even with the connections." She started uncertainly and placed her cheek in the palm of her hand with a huff. "I try my best and every time there's something I need to improve on. I think what I'm having a hard time with is the romance." She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest, and she blushed slightly just thinking about it. "I hate to be a bother but could you help me?"

She looked over towards Gajeel and he flinched for a second, but when the blonde hadn't referred to him he regained his calm state.

"Could you tell me again how he makes you feel? You know... the guy you're all up in the clouds about. I don't... I don't think I've ever felt that way before. I think I have but I... I'm not sure..." Lucy's voice lost its strength as her eyes drifted elsewhere. There was a man clouding her thoughts now, one could see the way the heart-throbbing emotions glazed over her dark brown eyes. She was in the midst of falling in love but she was still so torn on what to feel, and the person she was speaking to was so certain of her feelings that it was admirable. Aquarius, he assumed, but then a melodic voice spoke up in front of him and his breath hitched.

"I... I don't know if I can explain it." An angelic voice admitted shyly from the other side of the bookcase, and Gajeel felt his heart leap in his chest when he recognized it.

"Just go over it how you did last time, you couldn't get enough of him. You went on and on for hours, and yeah it helped me out somewhat but I'm still not really grasping the concept. It's so much harder than you think... you can't just write characters kissing and then hope for the best, it's the little details and moments I'm missing— at least that's what Leo thinks. He's a hopeless romantic to begin with, but when I ask for his input he just lectures me and makes things creepy." Lucy complained as she rubbed her temples and sighed. She slouched over the table and her manuscripts and looked as if she was one blow from falling over.

"Sounds stressful," Levy responded wearily, and the same turning of pages sounds could be heard from her, though Gajeel couldn't see her physically. "I suck at writing, that's why I prefer to read."

"It is stressful," Lucy clarified before practically begging her. "Oh, please help me. If I don't amp up the romance in this story I'm never going to pull through. It's an action story, but it still has two love interest, and when I went deeper with their relationship I got the best critique." Lucy laced her fingers together and her eyes glistened, "pretty please?"

Levy stiffened up. "A-ask what you want..." she responded defeatedly, and Gajeel was so accustomed to her voice and mannerisms by now that he could just imagine her hunched shoulders, blushed face and hand pinching the bridge of her nose like she always did when she knew she was dealing with someone stubborn. Usually him.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Lucy cheered as she shot up right and adjusted her posture. "I'll take some notes. For starters—,"

"I don't understand, I thought you and Natsu were getting really close. You even said you could potentially catch feelings at this point, didn't you? Why don't you write how you feel about that—," Levy giggled when Lucy threw her hands up in the air and motioned for Levy to stop.

"For starters!" Lucy resumed quickly and with a much more flustered tone of voice. Gajeel huffed at the sound of that; the idea of Natsu being mature enough for romance was a pitiful thought. It took a lot to make him think rationally and take things seriously; he was capable of it, but that blonde would have to have the patience of a saint before he got around to buckling down and progressing a relationship. Gajeel rolled his eyes.

"Tell me about how you feel about him," Lucy started nervously, "how he makes you feel," She restated more confidently as she shook off how much Levy's last suggestion threw her off.

Levy paused for a moment and now Gajeel was all ears. He listened intensively, and Levy's silence made his stomach turn and his throat grow dry. He had some kind of idea that she liked him back, she did agree to be his girlfriend— a thought he still couldn't believe — but he never actually heard how she really felt. The two of them would eventually work on that, the communicating part, and so far Gajeel had only told her he loved her, and his choice of words was pathetic. He was a damn pussy, but now hearing how she feels, he might be able to figure out an answer to give her himself.

"He..." Levy almost whispered and she thought about it, and from Lucy's smile Levy must have been smiling as well. This made a grin stretch over Gajeel's face, right until Levy slammed her book closed and the bookcase in front of him rattled. "He pisses me off!" Levy shrieked.

"What?!" Lucy cried out Gajeel's exact thought, and his mouth dropped to the floor in absolutely dumfounded. "Levy, that's not what I asked for!" Lucy whined.

"He makes me so mad!" Levy stomped towards her, and now Gajeel could barely see the form of his girlfriend. "He's so stubborn, and ridiculous, and he's always closed up and irritated with me. He knows exactly how to make me mad, how to press every little button, and by this point I'm ready to hand it to him! I'm ready to chew him out!"

"D-did you two get in a fight or something? The other day you were glowing from your date, I've never seen you any happier! How did—,"

"Oh Lucy, he's ridiculous!" Levy paced back and forth. "He's lied to me, picked fights with me, antagonized me, he's done so much! And to top it off, he really got me going the other day. He thinks he's so cool just because he's stronger than me, he wouldn't even give me a chance to lay a finger on him, we trained for hours and I didn't lay a single punch or kick— he didn't even break a sweat. It was infuriating! What I'd do to wipe that smug off his face!"

Gajeel knew she was angry but there was still a small grin on his face. The way she was pacing back and forth he knew she was angry, she could go like this for hours. He should really apologize about that, it was just tough love. It was a reality she had to face, and no one had the heart to challenge Levy one on one. It was so surprise that she felt confident enough to storm into Ivan's layer and get herself killed. Now she was reconsidering her thoughts.

"Levy, you're scaring me..." Lucy mumbled as all hope for her novel twirled down the drain.

"I know what ima do!" Levy slammed her palms on the table and glared into Lucy's eyes. "I'm gonna train extra hard, so hard on my free time and not let him know, and then Ima catch him by surprise and totally kick his butt next time we train, he'll never know what hit him! Im excited!" Levy crossed her arms over her chest and was smiling evil, and now Lucy was back in her same hunched over, defeated position.

"And now you're laughing, nothing makes sense anymore. I'm never going to be an author." Lucy mumbled pitifully as she pointed out Levy's maniacal laughter. This dark, evil side of Levy was so rarely seen and when it came to the surface Gajeel felt it were a treat. Lucy, on the other hand, was not entertained.

"I just can't believe it," Levy started as she leaned her weight and sat down on the table top. "I can't believe I worked so hard and I never even hit the guy. It's frustrating. I just... I just wanted to impress him for once, you know?" She started, and now her head lowered a soft blush streaked over the high points of her face. Hearing her admit that made something clench in Gajeel's chest, and he watched Levy across the room with his heart beating rapidly.

She just wanted to make him proud... and more than ever he wanted to pull her aside and reassure her that she made him the proudest man alive every day. Gajeel looked downward for a moment, unable to stand the sight of seeing Levy so shy and uncertain. He wanted to tell her otherwise. He hadn't meant for her to feel this way, that's not what the rough training was meant for.

Lucy's eyebrows rose as she detected a less heated emotion coming from he bluenette. "And why do you want to impress him?" She asked carefully, certain Levy's response would help fuel her novel's potential romance.

"I... I just want to make him proud of me." She admitted softly, and something stirred in her eyes although she wasn't staring in his direction.

"All couples have their fights," Lucy mentioned uselessly.

"That's the thing, we didn't even fight!" Levy threw her hands in the air. "Ugh, I'm just being crazy. I just..."

When Lucy realized Levy's venting was done with, she approached the topic again. "Despite everything you said about him..."

"Despite all the bad things," Levy started weakly, and a soft blush went over her cheeks. "It just doesn't compare to all the good. It doesn't even come close. He's..."

"He's what?" Lucy smiled.

"He's sweet, and caring, and funny and..." Levy squished her face up again, and each compliment was like an arrow shooting into Gajeel's heart. "Agh, he makes me so mad!" She yelled out, and she slapped her hands over her face and buried her burning complexion into her palms. Perhaps her heated choice of words were out of flustered frustration all along, and Lucy smiled sweetly at her conflicted friend.

"You love him!" Lucy cheered as she threw her arms up. "Love is such a beautiful thing! Aww, Levy!" Lucy's eyes shot open. "Oh wow, I have to write down everything I just witnessed!" And she twisted away and began typing frivolously.

Levy didn't say anything out loud to that, which made Gajeel's brows furrow as he felt himself grow nervous. Perhaps it was too soon for her to truly feel that way for him, or maybe she wasn't sure she felt it at all. However, he could hear the way she giggled softly and he could imagine the smile that consumed his every living though, and with that alone he felt his tension melt into the same warmth her presence always gave her.

"See, Lu? You're not bad at romance if you can detect what love is. I never once mentioned the word and yet you could tell how I feel."

Gajeel practically fell over against the bookshelf, he was so fucking relieved he almost exhaled out loud the breath he was holding in. The two girls stiffened and Gajeel swore under his breath.

"What is it, Levy?" Lucy asked worriedly.

"I don't know I... I thought I heard something." Levy mumbled almost to herself as she looked around the grand library.

"Oh, don't mind that. There's so many servants around this place it's normal to hear movement here and then."

"If you say so," Levy dismissed apprehensively, and it was the last of her voice that Gajeel heard before he successfully snuck out of the library.

 **ooo**

 **"That trip was a lot of fun,"** Levy smiled as she waited for Lucy to lock the front door behind her. "You weren't kidding when you said your place was huge. I really don't know what I was expecting, it was so fancy!"

"I was worried you'd be bored, I just had to get a few documents but I knew you'd appreciate the library." Lucy grinned brightly when she saw the way Levy's eyes sparkled just thinking about what she saw. It's as if the bluenette had died and went to heaven, and she practically glowed when her face tilted upward towards the grand staircases that led to three stories lined with rows of novels.

"Oh it was breathtaking, it smelled incredible." Levy placed her hands on her cheeks as she dreamed about it; if she owned a place like they'd have to bribe her to leave the library. "Are you sure it'll be alright to have these books?" Levy asked wearily as she was reminded of the pounds of books that hung painfully off her shoulder in her satchel.

"Trust me, I doubt my Dad will notice a few novels missing from that. Also, he's not big on the romance part, I don't think he'd read them anyway." Lucy waved off the thought and crossed Levy towards the kitchen. "I'll put some tea on, I'll call you down in a minute."

"Sounds good," Levy chirped as she rushed up the stairs. She was eager to start reading, but as she closed the door behind her, she stood momentarily to scan her new bedroom, the downgrade from her own two bedroom apartment that had been shoved into Lucy's guest bedroom. You could barely walk through the room given most of the floor space was taken up by her bookcases and towering boxes of her belongings. It was so underwhelming compared to the high end living she had experienced the other day, and now she felt a bit claustrophobic in the middle class home.

She longed for Gajeel. She sighed as she shrugged out of her coat and tossed it on the back of her desk's chair. She fell forward onto her bed, which was soft and comforting and familiar. She closed her eyes and she could remember the chilled air of Gajeel's hardly inhabited apartment; it was the exact opposite of Lucy's warmly lit and cozy townhome, but somehow Levy found Gajeel's surrounding more relaxing and comforting. She remembered the gray bed sheets, heavy with his masculine scent and the way his high quality bed made her body sink in and threatened to lull her to sleep.

She remembered the charcoal, heated hardwood floor boards and not the fluffy cream carpet that Lucy's home owned. In other words, nothing of Lucy's home resembled Gajeel's and that made Levy miss it all the more. The breathtaking view— both the roaring city and the devilishly handsome man that had appeared next to her on the couch that night. His voice scratched with sleep, it was so undeniably sexy and she felt her chest grow heavy just from thinking about him. Her lips burned as she remembered his passionate kissing, they way he hungrily made out of her as if he couldn't get enough. His hands grabbed and roamed over every inch of her body, every sensitive spot she owned and with every moan that escaped from her he quickly swallowed it with a kiss. He was an animal, and yet somehow he could make his rough love so terribly romantic and soft, and she couldn't even try to sit back and fantasize about it without become so terribly heated.

Usually thinking about it would make her feel hot and heavy, cause her breathing to pant and her face to flush red, but now there was a different side effect to thinking of Gajeel. Now if just made her heart ache, and she hated how she couldn't call and check up on him, and now that he was her's the weight of worrying him was heavier than before.

It was so painful that she rolled to her side and hugged her pillow tightly. She buried her face as she tried to sort out her emotions, tried to explain to herself that things would be okay, that he was fine. She was so consumed that she didn't even notice the text message on her phone, and when she glanced at the screen she almost leapt out of bed.

Gajeel had left her a message, and she read it under her breath as she got to her feet.

 _"Levy, we need to talk,"_ she whispered to herself, and her heart was fluttering heavily as an apprehensive feeling settled in her stomach. _"It's important."_

 **A/N:** hey loves! So yeah, I saw the city hero spin off and am interested with how it's gonna go cause it's an AU kinda similar to this considering they're police officers and such. In other words I'm excited for it!

I've also considered that there might not be room for anymore lemon in this story. If anyone wants more feel free to review cause I love writing it, I just don't want to make it overbearing during the crucial parts of our last five or so chapters. (Sad face). If anything I could make a chapter separated by [XXX] since the lemon I WOULD make is VERY long (it could be 5-10k words so it would be lengthy to place in a chapter) so tell me what you think. Thank you so much for reading!

Also, you deserve an apology for the wait. I got sick as a dog and writers block in the same month. We're not speaking of school ever again, LOL. but yeah, I love you guys so much, I hope the fluff makes up for the kinda weird chapter. The action will pick up again next time, trust me!


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N:** Lemon was asked and therefore Lemon shall be received... I feel sinful and bad for how LONG this lemon was. It's really dirty so be warned. I put it at the beginning of the story because after this it's a straight shot of packed events towards the end, so I made our final batch of lemonade long and savoring.

You can of course skip, and as always please enjoy!

 **Chapter 16**

 **Levy hadn't forgotten about the** important notice she received from Gajeel the day before. He said he had to speak of something important, and now a consuming feeling of dread settled in the pit of her stomach. Gajeel having an emergency message to her could mean anything, and with the events that had led up to this present moment, Levy could even expect to hear another death threat from Ivan— unless someone had already been murdered. That news wouldn't be too far fetched either, given how ruthless Laxus's father had been recently.

The idea left her pacing Lucy's small home. She slid her coat off and tried not to stress out more than she needed to, he hadn't even told her the important news yet, so until Gajeel explained himself she refused to worry more than she had to. Levy grabbed her to-go coffee and headed up the stairs to her bedroom. What she needed more than anything was to wind down from a chaotic evening and relax, but what she walked in on was enough to make her jump in her boots. Was this his important message?!

"Gajeel, you've got to be kidding me," Levy mumbled to herself as she found her boyfriend knocked out on her bed. She walked carefully towards him, making sure her weight distributed evenly on the floor boards so she wouldn't make too much sound to disturb him. To test the man and to be certain he wasn't playing games with her, Levy pressed a finger into the man's cheek, where he didn't even do as much as a flinch. She gently scratched the tip of his nose, and still there was no kind of response. He was out cold.

"Gajeel, you overwork yourself," she lectured the man although she were only speaking to herself. She was accustomed to the way he snuck into her bedroom, and a tug on the windows informed her he at least had the decency to lock them behind him. She contemplated whether or not she should awaken him and ask him what he had to say to her, it seemed like the logical thing to do given she didn't know when Lucy would return home. On the other hand, Levy hated to disturb him; he looked so peaceful cradled up the way he was, and what he needed mostly nowadays was some well deserved sleep.

She sat beside him on the bed and watched the gentle way his chest raised and lowered, so peaceful and innocent. Levy sighed as she thought of what to do, and it was then that something evil sparked within her. She immediately shook the thoughts out of her head and forced herself to cleanse her impure ideas; Gajeel had enough going on, he didn't need her to do what she had planned. However, she'd be lying if she said he didn't deserve it. Levy smiled to herself mischievously; if Gajeel's statement was as important as he claimed he wouldn't have fallen asleep. Besides, it could wait.

 **[XXX]**

It was almost a bit nostalgic the way Gajeel woke up absolutely petrified when he realized he had lost the mobility of his upper limbs. He snapped into reality immediately upon waking up when he found each wrist secure by a handcuff at the corner edge of each bed post, and he searched around to figure out where the vixen herself was hiding. This was ridiculous, and he couldn't believe Levy would something so uncalled for during a crucial time like this. He would think that if he told her he had an urgent message the last thing she'd want to do is tie him up like some sick pervert.

The red fur lining the metal cuffs was enough to prove to him they were fake, and he relaxed some when he knew he wasn't completely incapable of escaping. He couldn't believe he let himself fall asleep, but he was even more bewildered that Levy would pull something so childish like this. It's not the first time he's found himself bound by the bookworm, and now he was concluding that Levy had a serious fetish she wasn't admitting to.

 _Out of all times,_ Gajeel thought to himself defeatedly, but his thoughts were shortened when a sinister version of Levy's usually angelic voice came to surface.

"Good morning, _Gajeel_." Levy purred, and Gajeel looked up to find Levy in the doorway with a glass of red wine swirling in her hand. However, the alcohol was the last thing he noticed. What initially caught his eye was the sheer material of her translucent robe that left nothing for the imagination; he could see her milky thighs, exposed midriff and the revealing lingerie that barely covered her curvy body. The red fur lining the material matched the cuffs that restricted his freedom. Gajeel's jaw dropped open as Levy walked towards him, and never had he seen her in such provocative lingerie. A deep red two piece hid what he wanted to see the most, and Gajeel gulped involuntarily when she cat walked towards him, her ample hips swaying with each step.

Her porcelain, bare feet were complimented with a blood red polish, and Gajeel found by now that Levy had a tendency of matching her headbands or outfits with her nail color, it made him question how long the naughty girl had planned on doing this to him. Perhaps he'd been asleep longer than he thought. He couldn't take his eyes off of her, and now Levy was on the bed beside him, finishing her wine and taking in the sight before her.

Levy giggled to herself at how hopeless he was. His arms were stretched at either side of him, his breathing had notably changed and a heavy blush covered his face as he was clearly enjoying what he saw. He hasn't spoken yet, which means he was speechless; his mouth hung open and she was worried he'd drool if he didn't snap out of his trance. She knew she had him wrapped around her finger, and she made sure to use this to her advantage and tried her best to be the dangerous, fiery girl from his most wildest fantasies.

"I'm sorry, Gajeel. I know you've had something to tell me but I'm sure it could wait a moment, couldn't it?" Levy asked rhetorically, as she leaned over and pressed a finger against his lips, not allowing him to argue with her. "I believe if it were important you'd have answered my calls today, or gotten back to me. That made me _very_ unhappy, Gajeel."

"Levy, I didn't mean to keep ya hangin'," Gajeel started worriedly, but he was silenced when Levy climbed over him, and the smell of vanilla and floral accents engulfed his senses. Levy smiled shortly at him and her eyes were hooded as her eyes traced downward; Gajeel could feel her eyes trace his body and goosebumps raised over his skin.

"There's no need to feel bad, Gajeel. I don't want an apology, either." She ordered, and to his surprise she started plucking the buttons of his shirt down one by one. Gajeel watched her slim fingers slowly expose him, and then her breasts came into view as she leaned forward and breathily whispered in his ear. "I want you to pay up with your body, and I'm going to do _whatever I want_ with it."

Gajeel burned red then, and he gulped as he tried not to grow to flustered. This wasn't good. Levy was tipsy at this point, and now he'd have an even harder time trying to tell her the truth. He gritted his teeth as he understood this were something to tell her when she was sober, and he messed up by not getting to her that morning like he planned. Things had came up, Makarov had came up, and he—

 _"Nnngh..."_ Gajeel groaned behind clenched teeth as Levy lowered herself onto him. She pressed herself against his hardened erection, which sprung to life the moment she walked into the bedroom. The alcohol must have been giving her courage, given the usually flustered and tongue tied girl was speaking quite seductively and with impressive ease.

"Mmm... there's just something so absolutely sexy about a strong man tied up and absolutely hopeless... having you under my control is so undeniably hot." Levy licked her bottom lip as her finger tips gently brushed against Gajeel's abs and hardened chest. She was so captivated with what was all her's, and now something had flickered in Gajeel's eyes. It was something challenging.

"Yer diggin' yerself a grave toying with me like this Levy," Gajeel's warning was low and it somehow made his voice even more pleasuring to the ears. His eyes twitched for a second when Levy's wide hips swayed on top of him, and she grinded against him with an evil smile.

Levy narrowed her eyes at him. "I think the only one who should be worrying right now is you, Gajeel. Given you're the one tied up..." Levy's hand snakes behind her where she grabbed at his hard on, and Gajeel hissed slightly when she massaged against his pants. It was such a teasing action, and Levy loved the way he so stubbornly refused to show how turned on he was. He kept a dark demeanor and glared back and Levy giggled at his reaction, "Hmph, is this hurting your pride, Gajeel? Being taken over and fully dominated?"

"Ya sure are gonna regret this, Lev..." Gajeel promised as she started grinding against him again. He clenched his teeth and red settled over his tanned skin when her robe slipped off her shoulders.

"No, _you're_ going to _regret_ everything you've done to me..." Levy informed as she worked on slowing undressing herself.

"Is that so?" Gajeel asked, now a bit entertained with the woman's threats. "I believe all I've ever done was pleasure ya out of yer mind. If anythin' ya should be thanking me for taking care of ya, right?" He asked her, and his lips curled upwards when Levy snapped out of character and blushed brightly at his teasing words. "Is this anyway to repay yer man? By teasing him?"

"You deserve it!" Levy practically snapped. "The situation at the club was absolutely unforgivable, you're merciless... and the training the other day really was the final straw. I have to teach you a lesson, Gajeel. You've been very, _very_ bad." Levy informed, and just before Gajeel could protest Levy released her bra and her breasts sprung free, inches away from his face.

Gajeel's instinct was to reach out to her but the metal restricted his movement. Levy smiled proudly as she watched Gajeel's eyes darken unpleasantly.

"I'm in control here, Gajeel." Levy reminded as she placed a hand on his face. "If you're a good boy, I'll make your time worth while."

"I'd like to see you try, Shorty. If ya think yer giving me a hard time, yer..." Gajeel's voice trailed as Levy opened her legs in front of him. She spread her thighs apart to reveal the burgundy panties that covered her, and without a word she pulled the string that released the fabric from her body. Now completely exposed in front of him, Gajeel eyes narrowed as he felt his body tense up with need. If only he weren't bounded to the bed, he'd put this little girl in her rightful place, and there were plenty of things he'd love to do to her to remind her who she was messing with.

She was going to have a hard time after this, but for now Gajeel would fall defeated and accept his torment.

"Tell me Gajeel," Levy started as her index and middle finger gently opened her lips up to him. "Do you enjoy what you see?"

"Holy... _fuck_ ," Gajeel's response translated to yes, and Levy bit down on her lip as she slowly began playing with herself in front of him. He was stunned with how bold she was acting, this couldn't be the same girl he'd made love to all these times. She was growing comfortable with him, and Gajeel was loving this side of her that she hadn't shown before.

She pumped her fingers in and out of her rapidly, and soon the still room was heated and filled with the blunette's desperate panting. A reddened blush covered her cheeks from both the alcohol and the heat of the moment, and Gajeel's eyes feasted on the way the girl pleasured herself. He never once imagined it would be this incredibly hot, and he was speechless when her other hand toyed at her nipples, pulling and tugging at them as they blossomed a deep rose color.

"Gajeel it feels so good," Levy cried longingly after a long moan, and she gave him a suggestive look. "You look uneasy. Would you like a taste?" She turned over on her stomach and backed up to Gajeel's face, where he'd be in the perfect position for him to feast on the show she was giving him. However, Levy had another sadistic plan.

Just when he believed she would position herself for him she purposely stopped just far enough to be out of his range. Gajeel couldn't reach her, and then her hand glided up between her thighs and she fingered herself again right in his face. She really was teasing him now, and he grew aggravated as his hands clenched tightly into fists. Gajeel was being pushed to his limits faster than he'd like, and more than anything he wanted to pleasure her.

He wasn't a fan of being this helpless during sex. He liked to do as he pleased, he liked to take control and he liked things rough, not this slow and teasing childsplay that Levy was doing to rile him up. All he could do was watch, and unable to control with his hands, Gajeel spoke up with a command.

"Yer holding back, aren't ya? Ya can do better than that, Shorty." He ordered her in a tone that was almost indifferent. He smiled when her face shot up behind her shoulder with a displeased expression. He knew that all she wanted to do was fluster him, and pretending to be unbothered would drive her up the wall. "Finger yerself faster, that's an order." His voice bit at her, and Levy was baffled that he had the audacity to try to take control in a situation like this.

"Are you ordering me right now?" Levy asked sternly with a scolding tone, and Gajeel smirked in response.

"Yer a good, obedient litle girl and ya know it," Gajeel reminded, and the two of them were well aware with how well Levy cooperated when Gajeel was in control. She was blushing brightly, Gajeel always knew what to say to make her terribly flustered. "Be good and listen to me, I won't ask you again." Gajeel threatened, but Levy snapped out of her trance and redeemed her control.

"I really can't believe you," Levy shook her head at him, and to Gajeel's surprise she tugged at his pants roughly as she forced her way through. In moments his erection was out into the open, and he gasped when he couldn't see what she was going to do to him. Levy looked behind her shoulder as she sat on his stomach, and with a smirk of her own she lowered down slowly. "I'm going to remind you who's in charge here..." she promised.

"Why ya little..." Gajeel grumbled but was silenced when her tongue flicked against him teasingly. Levy relished in the way his body tensed up and he thrusted upwards to give her better access, and now despite all his tough talk Levy knew she had Gajeel exactly where she wanted.

" _Naughty boy_ , I'm going to teach you some manners," Levy promised, and she swirled her tongue against him before completely going down. She reached the base before slowly gliding back up, and then she quickly returned to where she was, making sure she deep throated him at an agonizing pace.

"Fuck, _Levy_!" Gajeel groaned out, and his hands tightened into fists as the metal cuffs trembled against him. It didn't help that she was moaning in the process, he could feel her groans and pants against him. Her backside was still arched into the air in front of them as they remained in a position for 69, but it was one sided as Levy refused to let him pleasure her. Her fingers reached her core again and she continued to play with herself for him. She multitasked as she pleasured both of them, and Gajeel was taken aback by how amazing the sensation was.

Gajeel couldn't hold back the moan that escaped from him, it was so unexpected that it only encouraged Levy to suck him off faster, and her vibrant hair bounced up and down in the mirror as she pleasured him. Gajeel watched the way her fingers were quickly growing wet, and the sweet nectar glistened against her lips that informed she was ready for him. More than anything he wanted to taste her, feel her, but Levy was in absolute control and all he could do was watch hopelessly and pray she'd give him what he needed.

"Levy, let me outta the restraints," Gajeel tried to reason, as he wasn't a man accustomed to asking nicely for the things he wanted.

"And why would I do that?" Levy asked him. "Are you not enjoying this? Should I just stop all together?"

"Wait, no!" Gajeel blurted out and simmered with embarrassment when she giggled in response to his desperate plea. Levy turned around to face him, and to his surprise her fingers reached her lips where she sexually licked the tips and tasted herself in front of him.

 _"Oh my Gods,"_ Gajeel stated and Levy loved the way the man looked as if he was in a trance, so lustful and consumed by her beauty. She seductively licked herself clean as her mouth slowly went over each digit and glided up and down the same way she had over him. He clenched his teeth, he couldn't believe how hot that was, and Levy seemed to know every little way when it came to driving him mad. He wasn't aware that Levy was positioning herself above him the entire time, and the both of them squeezed their eyes tight as Levy slid onto his shaft and pushed him inside of her. Gajeel was completely taken off guard, and he clenched his teeth and clenched his fists as the pleasure overtook him.

Her cry was beautiful, and he opened his eyes to find her bouncing up and down on him, her breasts jumping with each thrust. Levy grabbed her nipples and twisted them, and every time she touched her body Gajeel felt himself growing weaker and weaker. She knew exactly how to turn him on, and having her take control was something he never knew he'd find so damn enjoyable.

 _"Mmm, Gajeel! Ahhn!"_ Levy moaned loudly as she sped up and rode him, and her chest was softly growing red alongside the high points of her cheeks, a clear indicating sign for him that she was going to climax. "You feel so good inside of me," she confessed as she milked him for all he had, "I want to make you cum, Gajeel. I want to please you," Levy burned bright red being so open with her thoughts, but Gajeel bared down on his teeth instead as he wanted to elongate what he was experiencing.

 _"Please,"_ Levy begged softly, knowing she wouldn't be lasting much longer, and she continued sliding onto him over and over, her eyes fluttering and her mouth slightly ajar as she pleasured herself. "Oh _Gajeel_ , I'm gonna..." she warned as her thrusts became more desperate, more rough and needed. Gajeel watched the way her eyes screwed shut and her voice hitched as a shriek escaped her, and he leaned forward the best he could and made his voice clear and commanding in her ear.

 _"Cum for me, Levy,"_ Gajeel ordered out of habit, and the girl screamed out as she released. She was riding him as quickly as she could, but after such an experience and sensation she was growing weaker by the second and she slowed down considerably. She was twitching on top of him, and to Levy's horrors her plans were backfiring as she was being more effected by this than he was. She rose up on her knees and lowered downward one last time, and the thrust was enough to make a hot wave rocket through her, enough to cause her to slouch forward and support herself by placing her palms on his stomach. She didn't know how long she could continue like this.

A soft snicker could be heard from Gajeel, she snapped her face up to send him a disapproving pout. "Overworked yerself already, Levy?" He asked with a chuckle, finding it cute how the girl had completely lost her control.

"Shut up!" Levy cried out, red in the face and strands of her bangs slipping out of her scarlett headband. Levy remained on him as she slowly pumped him in and out of her, and a hand reached between her legs as she rubbed against her most sensitive spot, and now Levy was trying her best to please him. However, the stimulation was becoming unbearable for her, she was so sensitive and it was overwhelming to continue on like this. Her breathing was hallowing, she knew she'd send herself into another frenzy if she kept going. She felt a bit nervous when the idea that she was disappointing him by going so slow popped into her mind.

"Heh. Yer really enjoying yerself, aren't ya?" Gajeel asked her with a soft smile, finding it cute that she was trying so hard to keep going.

"Why aren't you bothered?" Levy asked, her voice more worried if anything. "Y-you don't like it?" Levy was nervous then, and before she had felt confident she was doing a good job, but Gajeel hadn't climaxed and if anything he was rather quiet. She was feeling embarrassed then, but a wicked smile crept on Gajeel's lips that made her self conscious thoughts evaporate.

"Oh, I'm enjoying every second of this, Levy, but my arms are getting a bit sore. I think we should switch things up a bit, especially since ya came without permission." Gajeel mentioned with a smirk, though he only said that to piss her off, and it worked immediately as Levy looked almost offended.

 _"Without permission?!"_ Levy asked incredulously. She couldn't believe the nerve of this man! After everything she'd done he still had the audacity to try and dominate her. "We're not switching anything up according to you, I have you right where I want! And you're insane if you think I'd ask permission for anything, I'm the one in charge!" Levy reminded, but was silenced when Gajeel reached forward.

"It's no use, you're completely bounded," Levy's eyes darkened at his struggle, and her finger traced circled against his chest. She smiled coyly as Gajeel strained in his handcuffs, but her words were immediately taken aback as he tensed his muscles, reached forward and broke the fake handcuffs with ease. The metal snapped loudly from the bedpost and now the feral man was freed from his chains. Levy's mouth dropped open and she backed away as he rolled out his arms; he cracked his neck on both sides and when his glowing eyes shot towards her she practically shrieked out.

"H-How did you—?!" Levy squealed out as Gajeel rose up above her, towering over with his shadow swallowing her small frame. Now she had really done it, and Levy gulped when an evil snicker escaped the mans sinister smile as he slithered towards her. An unforgiving shadow darkened his expression, and something truly criminal came to play when Gajeel spoke to her.

"That was fun, Levy. You did really good, I'm very impressed... but now it's _my_ turn," Gajeel growled, and Levy was petrified when he pounced at her.

 **ooo**

 **"G-Gajeel, this is a bit excessive!"** Levy cried out as her arms were secured tightly above her. The word excessive was an understatement. Levy knew she'd played with fire tying him up like that, but she didn't expect Gajeel to be so ruthless when it came to returning the favor. He had been so rough when he'd grabbed her, picking her off the bed only to push her back down in a dominating position that kept her upper body against the mattress but her feet still on the floor. He angled himself from behind her and pinned her arms behind her back. She'd thought they'd go from that position, as she didn't mind the man handling or being roughed around, but he had other plans for his revenge.

Now Levy found herself in a position she'd never been before. The rope hung from the wooden beam in Levy's arched ceiling, and kept her arms upright and her body completely vulnerable to whatever he pleased. She balanced on her tip toes as Gajeel watched her from a few feet away, and chills ran down her spine when he sent her a smirk.

"Wh-what are you thinking?" Levy panicked when he didn't say anything, she knew that smirk of his could never be good, especially in a time like this.

"Nothin," Gajeel responded as he uncrossed his arms from his chest. He walked forward and made Levy gulp, and then his finger tips brushed against her milky thighs and made a soft blush glow over her fair skin. "Just wondering how yer gonna respond to what I'ma do to ya. Ain't sure whether or not I should tie your legs apart as well so ya can't close them," he said nonchalantly, and when he disappeared behind her Levy panicked.

"D-don't!" She cried out as she tried to twist away from him. "Gajeel yer such a jerk, release me _now!_ "

"Oh how the tables have turned, Levy..." Gajeel's voice rumbled behind her, and goosebumps raised on her skin when she felt his breath against her ear. "Weren't you the one merciless only moments before? And now you beg..."

"G-Gajeel," Levy tried to sound strong, but lust and apprehension coated her confident words. "What are you going to do with me?"

"For starters, yer under arrest," Gajeel ordered and Levy's eyes widened when he walked around to the front of her to reveal the police cap he'd snatched from her desk. Levy bit down on her lip knowing if she giggled she'd only dig her grave deeper.

"You can't be serious," Levy almost smiled at the sight but she couldn't find the courage to do so. As silly as the role playing idea was, she was far too turned on to pick jokes. On the other hand, with Gajeel only shirtless, Levy was uncomfortable being fully naked. That could only mean the actions that would soon take place would most likely be very one sided, with Levy being the victim.

"You know Lev, you've really messed with the wrong man." Gajeel informed as he slowly walked around her, instilling her fear further. "I've been in a rough business, and I've learned expertly how to _interrogate_ my victims..." he circled around her fully and returned behind her, and when Gajeel's hands landed on Levy's sides and slid upwards to cup her breasts, Levy's head fell backward and she moaned beautifully. This gave Gajeel access to whisper in her ear, "and knowing yer body as well as I do... I believe this leaves ya at a horrible disadvantage."

"You don't scare me," Levy challenged, as she always loved pressing her man's buttons. She gasped when he grabbed her by the chin and turned her to him, and glowing red eyes stared into her so intensely she could feel shivers run down her spine.

 _"But I will,"_ Gajeel promised with a dark voice, and Levy was left with her mouth ajar. She couldn't believe how turned on she was, and although she knew she'd get it once Gajeel was released from his handcuffs, she'd never expected him to be this hardcore with it. Her heart stopped when he broke out of his restraints, and by that moment she was absolutely defeated, she was so ready for him to do whatever he wanted to her. She was practically dripping for him at this point, and his slow touch, pacing and agonizing silence made so many questions erupt in her mind.

Her pride got the best of her and made her bite her tongue, she refused to cave in, but if she weren't prideful she'd vocally plead him to pleasure her. She'd _beg_ him, but she couldn't give him that satisfaction right now. She was still a little irritated that he took control without her permission, and now she'd have to formulate a despicable way to teach the stubborn man a lesson in the future. Levy's thoughts were interrupted and her eyes widened when Gajeel wrapped a hand around her neck, and his words seeped out of him like venom, penetrating deep into her and paralyzing her body.

"Yer crimes are unforgivable," Gajeel retorted as he returned to playing in character, but something told Levy the large man was not playing the "good cop" role. "To answer yer question, Levy... I'm going to _punish_ you."

"P-punish?!" Levy squeaked as she jumped in her spot. That was way too suggestive and sexy! Knowing Gajeel, his schemes could be anything, and Levy felt herself flare up just thinking about it.

"Why are ya blushing so hard, Shorty? Am I exciting ya?" Gajeel's snicker broke his evil character momentarily, and his wide grin made Levy snap her face up with an embarrassed pout. Her eyebrows furrowed angrily.

"Shut up, stupid Ga—," Levy was silenced when Gajeel's hand balled up in her hair and pulled her towards him, and the dull sting made her moan low under her breath.

"What a rude little mouth ya have, Shorty. Perhaps we should make use of it instead..." Gajeel suggested as his thumb ran over her bottom lip, plump from all of their making out and lip biting from when he first initially broke out of his chains. "No, that wouldn't do any good... I want to be able to hear ya scream..." his eyes narrowed as a shadow overcame his face, and Levy gulped at what he could be planning. The worst part was him not telling her anything, more than ever Levy just wanted to be able to brace herself for whatever her "punishment" was.

Levy decided to test the waters by sticking her tongue out to lick against Gajeel's thumb. He kept his expression neutral, his typical dark glare that never lightened for anything, yet something flickered in his eyes when she ran her tongue down his index and middle finger. She was a challenging little vixen, and he smiled tauntingly at her bold action. "Ya tempt me, Levy." Gajeel admitted stiffly, and unknowingly to her this was hard enough on him to keep his composure. He wanted more than anything to fuck her mercilessly, but she'd have to wait and suffer first. She deserved it after what she did to him in his sleep for the _second_ time since he's known her.

"But this isn't about me right now," Gajeel declared, and he took Levy by surprise when he placed his hands between her legs, and his fingers sped in a circular motion between her legs. He immediately noticed how wet she was, and he knew that Levy would quickly learn that he was just as capable at teasing her. The pads of his fingers rubbed quickly against her bundle of nerves, and Levy gasped sharply when he sped up against her. Her mouth dropped open and her breathing hollowed as she was on a fast track to orgasming. With the way her chest was arching upward and how her eyes were squeezing shut, Gajeel could tell he was driving her wild only with the simplest of touch.

"Look at me," Gajeel ordered, and to his pleasant surprise Levy's honey eyes shot open and gave him the most pleading of looks. "I want you to watch me please ya," he ordered, and his voice was a dark rumble as his free hand slid up her torso and roughly pinched at one of her helplessly erect buds. Levy hissed at the sharp sensation and immediately gasped when Gajeel inserted his fingers into her. He was pumping roughly, and Levy wasn't used to Gajeel being so rough, so quickly. He smacked her breasts one after the other, her chest was settling into a deep rose color, and Levy moaned out as he somehow managed to finger her even faster. He usually warmed up to these things, but God, there was nothing that would make her beg him to stop. His voice slammed her back into reality.

"Dripping wet already, Levy. Tsk, tsk," he shook his head as he fingered her as quickly as he could, and Levy spasmed out of control as he relentlessly pleased her.

" _Ahh_!" Levy cried out as her body began to slightly tremble. " _Nnghh_... Gajeel, at this rate—," Levy mewled. "Gajeel, you're—,"

"Oh I know exactly what I'm doin to ya," Gajeel cut her off, and a loud cry finished her sentence. She was clawing at the rope around her wrists now, anything to help her tense up her body and brace against the pleasure. Without warning, Levy came mercilessly all around him, her sweet juices dripped between the both of them, but Gajeel refused to stop, and he continued as if nothing had happened. The passing of his torment did not stop, and he watched with a satisfied glare as Levy was pushed to her very limits.

A blush was hovering over Levy's body now slick with sweat, and she bit down on her lip and contained her screams the best she could, but her attempts were in vain when a beautiful shriek rocketed out of her.

"Gajeel, I can't handle this anymore! It's too much!" Levy whimpered as her body was practically trembling, and she looked at him with pleading eyes that begged for mercy.

"But yer officer McGarden, I thought you could _handle anything._ " Gajeel mocked her little catch phrase, which made Levy's stubborn spirit rise out of her.

"Y-you're right!" Levy challenged, and her angry pout was so cute considering this was not the time to be demanding. She was so helpless and under his mercy, yet her fighting spirit still managed to shine through.

"Levy yer mouth always gets you into trouble..." Gajeel smiled and lowered down to his knees, and on his way down his mouth kissed and bit at whatever he pleased, swirling around both of her breasts and gliding his tongue and biting down where he felt fit, and where he knew would cause her to voluntarily arch her back and push her breasts closer to him. Beautiful shades of purple trailed down her midriff and as Gajeel worked his way painfully slow Levy couldn't help a sense of hunger and eagerness to him that only sparked her own unbearable impatience.

Without warning his hand reached under one of Levy's thighs and spread her wide open. His other hand parted her lips, and Levy blushed even harder at the predicament she was in. At first the cold biting air of the apartment greeted her first, but then she gasped sharply when the warmth of his mouth hovered right below her.

"Hmm... how should we torment you next?" He asked with a low voice, which made him come off with a dark tone that only amplified his appeal to Levy. Her legs started shaking, and she glared downwards at the set of Scarlett eyes that didn't break eye contact not once. He made sure to watch every second when his hands trailed her delicate skin, the soft untouched spots between her thighs and around her most intimate parts that only he had access to.

"There's so many options... how about I list them out and ya pick yer poison?" He suggested to her with a playful tilt to his voice, which made Levy snap her head away and simmer into a bothered pout.

"I'm not picking anything, you pervert," Levy cried out as she couldn't even wrap her head around the thought of agreeing to anything this monster had up his sleeve.

"Let's leave it as a surprise then," Gajeel answered, and surprised Levy when he placed her back on the ground and got to his feet. He walked behind her and Levy tried her best to follow him with her eyes, but there was only so much she could do before he left her range of vision.

"Gajeel? Where are you going?" There was a noticeable way her voice jumped with a tinge of fear, and that made a sinister smile curl over Gajeel's darkened features. Levy was answered quickly when something obscured her vision, and her breath hitched when her head was pulled backwards and the blindfold was tightened secure around her head.

"Now you can guess which one I'm going to do to ya..." Gajeel lowered his voice to her ear. Levy couldn't get over how gentle his touch was now in comparison to how it was only moments before, the contrast in the way he handled her kept her on edge and unable to predict his next move. His fingertips smoothed her hair in the back where the knot was secured and he loved the way she was absolutely speechless as she awaited what was bound to happen to her. "There's different ways I've considered, Levy. You know, the scene we had at the club left me curious as to what other toys we could use on you."

This statement made Levy gulp, but deep down she couldn't deny how excited she was, and that was enough to make her silently scold herself. She'd handled the stimulation _terribly_ last time, she didn't think she could go through that again.

"Is that what you plan on doing to me, then?" Levy asked nervously, and when she was left without a reply, she panicked. She hadn't heard him leave the room but now she couldn't sense him around her. "Gajeel?" She tried again.

"G-Gajeel!" Levy cried out, but silence answered her. Now completely blind and relying only on her other senses, she listened carefully to her surroundings. The air was cold and biting against her bare body, and all that she could hear was the faint sound of cars passing by every so often outside her bedroom window. She hung there a bit uncomfortably, balancing herself as she felt goosebumps prickle her skin.

"Gajeel, this isn't funny—," Levy warned but was silenced when a familiar feeling was found between her legs. He'd opened her wide before she could process what was happening, and her head whipped back when he began eating her frivolously with no warning. Levy was quickly launched up that same explosion she'd felt twice already tonight and her hands clawed into the ropes secured above her. Her moans were low and long as they exploded out of her, and as much as she wish Gajeel would have mercy with her, he changed the pace of the pleasure she received and left her on edge and begging.

"Gajeel, _please, I need it,_ I can't take this teasing anymore!" Levy pleaded as all pride released from her body. She couldn't even see him please her, but she could feel him lift her legs over his shoulders so he could eat her out easier. Her blocked vision only amplified her other senses, and now she felt the intensity behind his every move, and how even the most delicate flicks of his tongue could send her in a frenzy she could not control.

"It's no use, Shorty. I told you to begin with this was a punishment, yer going to have to beg harder for my mercy." Gajeel grinned against her skin as he left bruises between her thighs, and every so often he'd give her pearl a playful lick, which would make her body immediately arch and respond. From the way she was moaning Gajeel snickered sinisterly. "From the sounds of it this is beginning to be more of an award for you than a punishment."

"You're sadistic," Levy snapped with a tone that could make it come off as if she was sending him an insult. His nails dug into the supple flesh of her thighs and he angrily rose to his feet.

 _"What did ya just say to me, little girl?"_ He asked daringly, the voice he used when he was once a well feared criminal.

"I said you're _sadistic_ ," Levy replied boldly, without a hint of fear or hesitation in her voice.

"Am I?" Gajeel's question was formed more as a statement as there was no curious tilt to his words. "I may be... but I think you enjoy it more than ya would like to admit, Shorty. Ya like having a man in yer life, one that dominates ya, one that puts that cheeky, bratty attitude of yers in check when it gets ya into trouble. In fact..." Gajeel shocked her when she felt their hips connect, and her breath hitched when she felt him awaiting her. "I think this is exactly what you've been wanting all along. I think this is what ya been craving. It's an honor to give ya yer deepest desires Levy, as long as ya admit to needing them."

"I... I don't know what you're talking about," Levy stumbled for words as she felt honestly attacked at the accuracy. Her past boyfriend was so submissive and emotional, she couldn't ever get a rise out of him and sex was so to the point with hardly any foreplay. It was emotionless and empty, and all she'd ever truly wanted was something passionate, something wild like the love scenes from her most erotic novels. She couldn't tell if she was a bit embarrassed or terribly turned on with Gajeel speaking to her like this, given everything he stated were the truth. She'd longed for this, and it was something that Laxus could never have provided her with his soft nature and biting cold indifference to the idea of making love. She hadn't known what she craved and missed out on until Gajeel opened her eyes.

"Am I lying, Levy?" Gajeel asked the tongue tied girl that contemplated his taunts.

"N-no," Levy responded shyly. She pouted then, "shut up! I can't see you, but I know you're smiling."

"Hmph. Ya know me well," Gajeel smiled then, and pushed himself inside of her. It was so unexpected, and before she could comprehend he began ramming into her, _fast_ , hard and with the same desperate hunger he owned when he first initially started pleasing her. Levy's mouth hung open as she was left in a silent moan, absolutely speechless due to what she was experiencing, and the stimulation after so much teasing had left her almost mind blown.

She fell into a loud shriek, and Gajeel silenced her cries with a kiss. His mouth claimed hers and his tongue fought for dominance. He deepened their kiss while picking up the pace, and Levy found it hard to multitask with him between her.

" _Good girl_ , for cooperating so well I'll reward you instead." Gajeel smiled as he felt her tightening around him. She was done for and they both knew it, and after all the Hell he'd put her through it was showing on her body. The slap marks, the love bites that peppered and trailed over her soft skin, and the way her body blushed beautifully. He loved hearing the way she shrilled his name, the way she panted and moaned, cried and begged, and he could see her body trembling uncontrollably as he knew she was so close to that sweet release she deserved.

Gajeel was satisfied with his work, he was pleased with the girl that had absolutely melted in front of him, and feeling as though she'd learned her lesson, he ripped the blind fold off of her to reveal large honey eyes that welled with tears, and a thick blush that streaked over the bridge of her nose and the high points of her cheeks. When Levy met those red eyes, she was already so close, so unbelievably done for that seeing his dark glare and evil smirk was enough to topple her over. Gajeel glared into her, and with a sweet grin he growled into her ear.

 _"Cum for me now, Levy."_ He ordered, and watched with satisfaction as Levy's eyes squeezed tightly and her body arched into him. Gajeel's face tightened as well as he couldn't go any longer, he bit down on her neck for one final mark as he released into her, and he felt his body grow weak as he held her up and finished. Levy had toppled over from her high, and seeing him still not quite down she licked up his neck and kissed him gently where she could, right until his shoulders slumped tiredly. Levy caught her breath eventually, her heart was hammering against her chest and she felt light headed, but when Gajeel pulled away to look at her she couldn't help but naturally smile at him.

"Wow," Gajeel muttered as he slowly let her down. Levy's knees were weak when her feet met the floor, and she leaned against Gajeel as there was almost no strength left in her body. Her caught her and held her steadily in his strong arms, and when her hooded gaze looked up at him tiredly, Gajeel sent her a soft and loving smile.

"Yer really a pervert, Lev." Gajeel grinned cheekily, which made her loving gaze snap into a riled up glare.

 _Was he actually being serious?!_

"You're one to talk!" Levy monkey-shrieked at him, but was grateful when he released her from the restraints. Her arms were exhausted and they felt heavy as they fell to her sides. Gajeel rubbed against her forearms soothingly before wrapping her into an embrace. Levy blushed at the sudden soft kindness, and now the monster that had tortured her was slowly melting back into her loving boyfriend.

"I hate you," Levy replied shyly, but when he wasn't looking she smiled warmly before pushing her face into his chest.

 **[XXX]**

 **The hours had crept late into the night** by the time Gajeel had woken up from his slumber. Levy had an impressively comfortable bed, and the sex had given him the best sleep he had in ages. All the tension and stress had released from his body and left him light as a feather yet heavier than ever when his weight sunk into her light yellow comforter. Usually by this point Gajeel would be aware of his stinging, raw back from where Levy's nails would mercilessly claw into him whenever the pleasure was too overwhelming for her. However, with her tied up previously he'd have to skip on that little detail of their usual routine; and it wasn't like he didn't enjoy the claw marks— though he'd never tell her that.

Gajeel hadn't woken up on his own. A naked Levy had rolled over on top of his stomach, and their skin pressed against one another as Levy lied on top of him. Her beautiful eyes sparkled once he fully gained consciousness, and her bright smile was contagious as he felt his lip curl up on its own.

"Well aren't ya in a happy mood," Gajeel chuckled as he half greeted her, half teased her. There was no surprise; with how much he'd made her orgasm any woman would be glowing and happy. Levy was no exception, her skin was radiating and she looked as if she was more alive than ever. Her afterglow was beautiful even after so many hours later.

"Good morning, Gajeel!" Levy chirped.

"Good mornin'. Had a nice nap?" Gajeel asked her as he placed his hands behind his head.

Levy giggled, "yup! I knocked out immediately. I feel great!"

"I'm sure ya do," Gajeel grinned brightly, and his smile was interrupted when Levy placed a sweet kiss on his lips. She deepened it immediately, and she surprised him when her tongue slipped past his lips and their sweet pecking had formed into passionate kissing.

Gajeel pulled away from her for a second, and with a scheming look gave her a sly smile. "Good Gods, Shorty, did I not please you enough last time? How can you have the energy for more?"

"Don't be a pervert, Gajeel, I think I have every right to kiss my boyfriend as much as I want." Levy pouted at him. She then quickly kissed at him and purposely made them obnoxious, by adding a loud _"muah, muah"_ to each smack of her lips. It was enough to rise a laugh out of him, and Levy giggled against his skin as she peppered more sweet kisses against his cheeks and neck.

"Levy, ya spoil me." Gajeel said relaxed as he lowered himself back down and closed his eyes. He was truly in bliss, with his needs fulfilled and his loving woman by his side. It was also a huge bonus that Levy was happy and safe on top of him, and he couldn't have been happier to know that she—

" _So..._ what were you going to tell me?" Levy asked cheerfully, and she didn't understand why Gajeel's eyes snapped open or why he quickly propped himself on his elbows in an alarmed manner.

Levy straddled Gajeel as she stared down at him shyly. She twirled a strand of cerulean hair around her pointer finger as a soft blush settled over her. "I know you had something important to tell me, but I had gotten so carried away with my emotions I completed disregarded that. It was wrong with me and I'm sorry..." Levy apologized and when Gajeel didn't reply she grew stiff on top of him. She couldn't believe how much of a pervert Gajeel has made her, and she hoped he didn't get the wrong idea of her. Sex wasn't the only thing she thought about and she did have her priorities. This time was different.

"I- I just really needed it." Levy's explanation shocked both of them. "I... I don't really know how to ask for these things, I just... I got carried away. I don't know what's gotten into me. Please don't be mad... what you have to say is important to me, really it is!" Levy lowered her face to his and gave her wide, pleading eyes. "What was it, Gajeel? Please tell me."

Gajeel's eyes widened apprehensively. He slipped out from underneath her and immediately grabbed his clothes, and now Levy was confused as she followed after him. "Gajeel? What's the matter?" She asked nervously when he hiked up a pair of pants on.

"It's nothing," Gajeel started coldly as he was closing up. He had hoped Levy would have forgotten about that.

"Gajeel, why can't you just tell me?" Levy asked nervously, and she began dressing herself as well in case she had to follow the grown man out in the cold air.

"It's not exactly something ya talk about after sex, Levy, _okay_?" He spoke harshly then, and Levy was a bit taken aback by how rough his words came out. The both of them had bristled up by his tone of voice, but luckily Gajeel had caught himself during the heated moment. He turned to her slowly and shook his head quickly, "no, no, I'm sorry Lev, it wasn't supposed to come out like that."

"Oh," Levy replied, unaware of how to properly respond to that. She'd lie if it didn't hurt just a little, and she felt stupid for getting hurt so easily over the simplest change of his tone. She watched as he hurriedly dressed up, a nervous tick he probably wasn't aware of, and perhaps there were only two ways Gajeel was aware of handling problems. Beating the fuck out of everyone that inconvenienced him or simply running away, and there was no way in Hell Gajeel was going to harm Levy.

Levy was so frustrated with him at this point, and as Gajeel reached for his shirt Levy completely exploded from behind him.

"What are you so afraid of, Gajeel?!" Levy cried out her hands moving quickly as she spoke with them, something she only did when she stressed out. "Why do you keep putting this off? Why aren't you telling me anything? We're a couple now, it's what we're supposed to do, communicate!"

"Levy, ya don't understand. If ya did, ya would a hard time talkin' about it too." Gajeel felt pathetic with his reply.

"I don't understand because you're not telling me," Levy pointed out and closed the distance between the two of them. She turned Gajeel to her forcefully and spun the man so that he'd have no choice but to look her in the eye. "Gajeel, you're important to me." Levy's stare was genuine and she pouted as she immediately felt shy, but it were the truth and both of them knew how she felt for him. "Nothing you say is gonna make me run for the hills, so stop pushing me away from it already. You can tell me."

"Levy..." Gajeel started softly, and when tears welled up in her eyes he swore under his breath. "It wasn't supposed to be like this, it wasn't." He started slowly, and when Levy didn't respond he knew he was going to do most of the talking from this point on. "I... I ain't been very honest with ya, Levy."

"What do you mean?" Levy asked nervously, and she stepped away for a second. "Wait... do you mean..." Levy's eyebrows furrowed and she slowly connected the dots. _It's not exactly somethin ya talk about after sex,_ replayed in her mind. She felt her heart drop to her stomach, something burned behind her eyes and now her voice felt so small she was worried neither of them would hear it if she spoke up. Flashbacks of Laxus falling out of love and turning his eyes to Mira left a hole in Levy she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to patch up, and it had left her hollow and insecure and questioning every aspect about herself. For the longest she'd believed something was wrong with her, and now that she had Gajeel, she was beginning to feel whole again.

She squared her shoulders and tried her best to be confident, but her voice cracked. "Is there... someone else, Gajeel?" Levy asked sullenly, and when Gajeel turned to her with the most devastated look it only answered her biggest fear. "B-because I understand, a-and I'm not mad at you... it's happened b-before," Levy swore at herself when she felt the tears coming and used all her might to keep them at bay.

Gajeel couldn't believe what he was hearing. He annihilated the distance between them and quickly pulled Levy to him. "What the _Hell_ has gotten into ya, Levy? I would never do that to ya!" He practically scolded her for thinking so ridiculously, but he could understand how she would assume he were being unfaithful. He'd given all the signs, closed up on her, but he never thought she'd jump to such an assumption. He knew she had been hurt before, but these insecurities were the outcome of a pained memory she hadn't yet shared with him. "Yer the only woman for me, Lev. No one else in this world matters." He placed his hands on her shoulders, and when Levy didn't look up at him he grabbed her chin and directed her face to his.

His heart broke when when he saw her eyes grew glossy and red, and now his chest was tightening at what he'd done. "I know ya been hurt before Levy, but it ain't gonna happen again. I swear to ya..." Gajeel's voice grew weak and his eyes narrowed as he kept his eyes on her. A few tears managed to slip out despite Levy trying so hard and his thumbs glided across her skin and wiped them away. "I'm so sorry I made ya think that."

"No, I'm sorry. It's just... I didn't know what to think since you've been so distant with me. I can't help but think I've been doing something wrong. I don't want you mad at me." Levy hiccuped and she tried to back away but Gajeel grabbed her before she could, and her face went first against his chest when he wrapped her into an embrace.

"Levy I ain't ever met someone so perfect," Gajeel promised as his head rested against her. "You've never done anythin' wrong. You've never displeased me. Yer overthinking everythin' and it's my fault, I'm really sorry."

"Gajeel..." Levy whispered against him, and more than anything she really needed to hear this. Small hands wrapped around him and squeezed the dear life out of his lower back. He smiled softly and held her a bit tighter. It was in that moment that he realized Levy had to know, she had every right to. Whether or not she left him would be her choice and he had to accept that. He knew he made things worse by waiting so long, and he sighed before pulling away from her. His dishonesty was hurting her more than he realized.

The last thing Levy wanted was for Gajeel to stop holding her. His frame slipped out of her hands and she couldn't help but feel so empty, and now they were a foot apart, with Gajeel staring at her with the most pitiful of looks.

"There's something I've been meaning to tell ya for a while," He started, and he had no plan on stopping this time. "When I said I hadn't been honest with ya, what I meant was that when we first met, it wasn't—-,"

The two of them jumped when something crashed downstairs. Levy's eyes widened when heavy footsteps charged up the wooden staircase, and before she knew it Gajeel had swept her behind him and took out his gun. He was ready for anything at this point, and a rerun of her apartment being broken into flashed through her mind. She was already so on edge with this tearful conversation, and her breath hitched when the footsteps grew louder..

 _"Gaaaaaajjjeeeeel!"_

A voice screamed towards them, and Gajeel's eyes widened when he registered who it was. He lowered his gun slightly, absolutely baffled, when the door to Levy's bedroom almost unhinged when the fiery man kicked it open. Levy screamed out from the outburst, and when she looked up she found Natsu tearing through her room, still in his police uniform.

 _"Gajeel, you fucking bastard!"_ Natsu screamed as he picked Gajeel up by the collar of his shirt and slammed him into the wall with all the force he could muster. Levy couldn't believe the strength he used against him as her photo frames fell to the floor, and Gajeel had even showed just the tiniest hint of pain.

"The fuck are ya doin' here, Salamander?" Gajeel asked with a beyond ticked off tone, and he was seconds away from snapping Natsu's neck if he didn't back off of him now.

"Ya know exactly why I'm here! Yer a fuckin' traitor, I knew gramps had gone easy on you!" A vein popped on Natsu's forehead and he was absolutely seething. "Don't look at me like you don't know what's goin' on! They fuckin' took Lucy! She's been missin' for hours now, and it's _your_ fault! I bet you're behind this because ya haven't done shit to help her! If you're on their side have the fuckin' guts to tell everyone, you coward!"

"Natsu, please calm down!" Levy begged as she noticed the way Gajeel's eye twitched, which wasn't a good sign. If the two of them had a brawl here of all places it wouldn't just be Levy's apartment that would be completely destroyed!

In the calmest way he could, Gajeel had pushed Natsu off of him, but it threw the police officer back into Levy's dresser, where he almost made it collapse. Gajeel had tried to make it a calm response, at least. Natsu allowed his emotions to control him, and now with things concerning Lucy, he was acting weak and vulnerable. He normally wouldn't have taken that hit so hard, but now he was pulling himself off the dresser and getting ready to charge at Gajeel.

"Natsu, please stop!" Levy cried out as she stepped in front of Gajeel seconds before Natsu could land a hit on him. Levy place her arms out and defended Gajeel in the only way she could think, and her eyes pleaded him to stop this madness. "I know Gajeel! I know he would never do something like this! He wouldn't let Lucy get hurt!" Levy cried out.

"Levy..?" Natsu asked, and he was so fired up when he had entered the room that he didn't even notice the bookworm in the first place. Natsu simmered down some then, and then there was the uncomfortable realization in the couple that Natsu had found them so intimate together. They were still dressed down, with Gajeel's feet bare and Levy only in her bra, it wasn't a good look. Natsu hadn't commented on it, but he saw everything. "What are ya doing here?"

"Shouldn't you ask that to Gajeel? I _live_ here!" Levy yelled out, frustrated with Natsu's incapability of figuring things out sometimes. Levy shook her head and tried a different approach, "Let's try this again, _calmer_ this time. Tell me everything you know about Lucy's disappearance."

"She went missing around eight," Natsu started, and Levy bristled up knowing Lucy always got home by nine. It was near two in the morning now, and Levy felt guilty that she had fondled around with Gajeel all those hours instead of noticing Lucy hadn't come home.

"It was Ivan," Natsu answered.

Gajeel's eyes widened, "How are you so sure of—,"

"Because he had Lucy on the fuckin' big screen at the station with a ransom note, that's why I'm so damn sure!" Natsu roared then. "And if you would have killed the bastard instead of goofing off, Ivan would have never gotten this far!"

"It's not that simple, you moron!" Gajeel's voice matched Natsu's then. "That's the whole damn reason I was assigned to the mafia and you were assigned to the station because you would have blew everyone's cover the first day on the damn job! We can't just go in there and kill him, idiot, Master had a plan!"

"What are you guys talking about?" Levy asked uncomfortably. She knew a part about what was going on, but she was still slightly confused about everything they were saying. It seemed as if the two men had forgotten she was there, it was evident in the way they jumped slightly at the sound of her voice. Natsu clicked his teeth before looking away in a bratty manner, but Gajeel only looked apologetic. "Gajeel," Levy started carefully, and she stepped towards him with great caution as if he'd flee if she startled him enough. "Do you know where Lucy is..?"

"Of course I know where she is," Gajeel sighed in defeat, but he was cut off when Natsu was fired up all over again and reached for him for a second time. Gajeel defensively grabbed Natsu by his collar and slammed the man against the wall with more force than he'd used originally. Natsu didn't even blink with the force Gajeel used on him, but the rough behavior was the only way to make Natsu shut up and let go of his emotions.

"I can't just walk in and save her, the place is heavily secured. It would be risking my life the moment I even walked in the doors, it's not like Ivan doesn't suspect me already." Gajeel growled, hoping Natsu could get it through his head already.

"I'll go, then." Levy decided as she stood up straight and stood in front of them. "I'm a young girl and I'm innocent looking enough that they won't suspect me. I've disguised myself for missions before, Master would approve of it, and Lucy needs us more than ever and so we don't really have any other choice-," Levy's voice caught in her throat when Gajeel closed the distance between them.

"There is no way in Hell im letting you anywhere near that damn place!" Gajeel declared with a tone that said he was not going to change his mind.

"Gajeel, there's no other way! I'm skilled enough for this, so just let me—,"

"No, Levy, you're _not_!" Gajeel yelled at her then.

Levy was growing irritated, "this really isn't the time to be over protective of me. For once can you just let me do my job and—,"

 _"You haven't seen what they've done to people!"_ Gajeel cried out then, breaking out of character and showing more emotion than he'd ever in front of someone other than Levy. She was taken aback and her eyes widened then and she felt her heart squeeze at how devastated he looked in that moment. _"You haven't seen what I've seen,"_ Gajeel choked out emotionally, and the fear in his eyes could only give her hints of the horrors he'd witnessed, the crimes she could only see in her most gruesome of nightmares. "If anyone ever hurt you in that _God forsaken_ shit hole I'd never forgive myself, never."

"Gajeel..."

"Levy, you can't, you—,"

"You're right!" Levy screamed out over him and grabbed Gajeel by his arms. She kept her eyes strong on him as he visibly calmed down, and when he was able to at least maintain eye contact Levy nodded softly at him. "You're right, I'm not going. I'm not going to worry you again and I'm not going to get myself hurt. I'm sorry. I let my emotions get the best of me..."

Gajeel blinked then, completely taken back by Levy's cooperation. Natsu raised a brow at the scene for a moment but returned to his permanent scowl as he was still absolutely livid about Lucy's disappearance. Levy knew that Gajeel only had his best intentions, and if it weren't for his first hand knowledge she wouldn't have thought twice before marching right into Ivan's hands. Most importantly, she didn't want to hurt Gajeel, and she couldn't guarantee her own safety this time. If she was single and didn't have someone who needed her, she wouldn't have to be so careful, but times were different now.

"I'll be by your side during all of this." Levy promised, and Gajeel sighed as he felt the relief wash over his body.

"I'm sorry, Levy." Gajeel apologized, but the two of them were interrupted when Natsu stormed out of their bedroom. He paused in the doorway, eyes narrowing in at the couple.

"I'm wasting my time here, Lucy needs me," Natsu growled to himself as he marched away.

"Natsu, wait!" Levy cried out, but went still when Natsu turned around with fire in his eyes; his threatening glare was aimed at Gajeel.

"If Lucy gets hurt and I find out you were in on this, I'll take care of you myself," Natsu warned before storming off, and Levy gulped at the resentment that simmered in his voice. Gajeel only narrowed his eyes at the threat, but Levy looked slightly bothered. Natsu would have slammed the door behind him if he hadn't unhinged it when he kicked it open, and it leaned towards the floor as it was a breath away from breaking off the doorway. Gajeel sighed and turned away.

"I guess no one has fully trusted me yet," Gajeel muttered as he crossed his arms over his chest. "It's no surprise, I haven't exactly done anythin' to make them think otherwise. I never wanted their fuckin' acceptance."

Levy frowned then. "I don't really know what you did, but I forgive you, and I don't think you're bad..." Levy started as she reached out for him, but she retracted her hand and kept to herself. "I'm sorry for prying you for answers all night, it was rude of me."

"Levy," Gajeel started softly.

"Whatever it was, can you just tell me tomorrow? I really can't handle anymore news right now, not after what I heard about Lucy..." Levy admitted with teary eyes. Lucy was her best friend, and now she felt absolutely horrible that she had allowed this to happen. Perhaps if she were with Lucy at the time she could have defended her and gotten them both to safety. Levy caught the way Gajeel nervously looked away, and then a horrible thought entered her mind. "Do you think Natsu is going to tell anyone about us?"

"With how worked up he was I don't think the idiot even noticed. It would take him a minute to connect the dots even if he weren't on a blood thirsty rampage." Gajeel replied, which made Levy feel a bit better.

"Gajeel, I think you should go, I need to be alone for a moment so I can process everything." Levy started, and she turned away from the man and sat down on her bed. Gajeel was concerned and tenderly reached out towards her, in which Levy quickly shook her head. "Please, I really need this."

Gajeel frowned. "I'll do everything I can to fix this, Levy."

Her back was still turned away from him. Gajeel was silent for a moment and gave her one last saddened look before exiting the doorway. She heard the shuffle of his footsteps down the hardwood steps and the front door close behind him. Levy couldn't help but feel a stabbing pain in her chest as if she'd done something wrong. Her lips formed a tight line and she shook her head slightly as she already regretted what she was going to do.

"Gajeel, I'm _so_ sorry..." Levy whispered to herself before grabbing her car keys off of the bedroom dresser.

 **ooo**

 **Levy placed a code into the pad** at the door and listened carefully for the mechanical click on the other side. She was absolutely unauthorized to use this code except for dire situations and absolute emergencies, but she felt that this scenario was the perfect candidate for sneaking about. The police office bustled at all hours of the day, with a section as large as Magnolia and the horrific crime rate the city was rising to. However, it was fairly empty in the restricted office area, and Levy slithered in carefully as she entered the filing cabinets that Evergreen attended to carefully during the night shift.

She knew there had to be more information on Lucy's disappearance somewhere, a last place she was seen would be the perfect starting point for hunting her down. She wasn't going to capture Lucy herself, she made a promise to herself and Gajeel she'd be more careful, but if she could at least get some better grasp of knowledge than she may be of better help. The police took forever when it came to breaking down cases and she knew Lucy didn't have much time. She was beautiful, and if it was a ransom they were asking for there was a chance she wasn't going to make it out alive.

Levy jumped up when she saw something in the corner of her eye, and she turned quickly with her hand hovering over her hip where her gun remained hidden. Levy bristled up significantly when Laxus glared back at her, and his arms were crossed over his large chest as he watched her disapprovingly. Levy was both alarmed and relieved, and seeing his displeased glare made her defend herself.

"I know. I'm not supposed to be in here," Levy started as she hadn't thought she'd get this far to begin with, so she didn't come up with anything clever to say. "I know what you're thinking, but Laxus I really can't just stand around and do nothing about this!"

Laxus sneered at her, which was an insult if she'd ever seen one, but what was worse was how he completely steered into another topic of choice. "Isn't it suspicious that he decided to get so close to you just as Lucy was taken away? He'd decided to be your lover, someone you trust and moments later your dearest friend goes missing? Isn't that something to make you wonder, Levy?"

Levy felt chills run down her spine, and she didn't understand why Laxus would bring that up in a time like this. "What are you talking about?"

"Natsu couldn't get the hint but it's obvious what he'd walked into. From the sound of it Gajeel didn't sound all that alarmed either, he didn't even look surprised and it's almost as if he'd been in on the whole thing from the beginning, and not in the way that Makarov thought he was."

"Laxus you're not making any sense," Levy lied as she easily recalled Gajeel warning her about Lucy during their training. He'd known about it, and she was certain he would have notified Makarov or warned someone, so she hadn't worried too much about Lucy's safety. Now no one had heard from Lucy in hours, and Levy would be dishonest with herself if she wasn't uncomfortable with the thought. Gajeel wouldn't have ever let this happen, right? Wouldn't he had warned everyone?

Levy grew still at the realization that Natsu had told Laxus what he saw. It was suspicious enough to have Gajeel in her bedroom, and the sheets were a tangle and the room was heavy and warm, it was all signs for something inappropriate, but Natsu couldn't have said all that, she doubted he would. Her privacy felt invaded whenever Laxus knew more than he needed to.

"I'm making complete sense, Levy. If I'm not clear enough for you, I'm saying that little boyfriend of yours is an absolute fraud." Laxus glared deeply at her when Levy flared up at the accusation. "It doesn't add up, and I have a feeling Gajeel hasn't been very honest with any of us. It was hard to trust him to begin with, and now that Lucy is missing and he hadn't even done as much as try to find her current location, I would say he's not in a rush when it comes to saving her."

"What would you know?" Levy questioned loudly. "Gajeel is extremely busy, Makarov and Ivan are tearing him one way to the other, maybe he didn't spring to action, but he most likely didn't know!"

"I'm sure he's known all along, Levy. He just hadn't told you everything he's in on, and for clear reason. I'm sorry, I know this is a lot for you to take in but it's reality." Laxus's glare simmered into something sympathetic. "He fooled us all."

"You're being ridiculous!" Levy screamed out. "Gajeel would never let anyone get hurt. Just because you have some petty, immature grudge against him doesn't mean he's a bad guy! You don't even know him, Laxus!"

Laxus stiffened up then. "No, Levy, I think the person who doesn't know him is _you_."

"What..?" Levy asked then, and she grew more anxious than she wanted to admit. When Laxus gave her that look it only meant bad news, and now she braced herself up for whatever horrible truth was bound to be revealed. Her biggest fear was that Gajeel was actually a double agent for Ivan and that he was truly spying on Makarov the entire time, but the more their relationship progressed the less likely that fear seemed. He was too kind hearted underneath his act, and she couldn't imagine Gajeel to be truly evil, it wasn't like him. He was rough on the edges and harsh at times, but he wasn't a cruel person.

"What do you think you're doing in here, Levy?" Laxus questioned as he remained across the room from her.

Levy was irritated with the change in topic, "What do you think? I'm not gonna stand around while you guys take your time."

"Looking for the case report, I'm guessing. Always beating around the bush, it doesn't get you anywhere." Laxus lifted a folder up to show to Levy, and it was thicker than she'd expected it to be, it didn't make sense, Lucy didn't have any kind of criminal records, and although still thin she could tell there had to be an abundance of documents in Laxus's hand.

"Maybe," Levy started. "It's really none of your business."

"Let's compromise, Levy. I'll keep Lucy's report." He gave her a tight glare before pushing the folder down the long metallic table that separated them on opposite ends of the room, and it skidded to a halt inches away from where Levy stood. "As for now, you do your research and read what's in this folder. It's about time you've learned the truth everyone's held above your head."

"I'm not interested in anything but Lucy's case," Levy snapped, holding her ground and keeping her head high.

Laxus sighed at her refusal. "Levy, just read the _fucking_ folder."

Levy went cold at Laxus's harsh order. She snatched the folder off the table gritted her teeth; open the folder in her hand, but what she saw inside had taken her aback. "Is this some kind of sick joke?" Levy demanded, and her voice boomed off the walls of the empty filing room.

"Everything you want to know is in that folder." Laxus informed her. "You're not allowed to read it here, take it home and make sure no one's hands gets on that document. I want it back in this filing room before your shift starts in the morning. That's an order." Laxus's command made every muscle in Levy tense up. "Get out of here before I report to Makarov what you've done." Laxus glared, and she knew he wasn't pulling her leg this time. He was _pissed_ and Levy knew that despite how angry she was she had to force herself to follow orders this time.

Humiliated and insulted, Levy snatched the folder and stomped out of the room, beyond pissed off that her attempts were unsuccessful. She wanted to rip Laxus's face off by this point, and she quickly made it home where failure would envelope her and carry her into her now empty home.

 **ooo**

 **Levy slammed the door behind her,** and she almost fell to her knees in absolute defeat. The silence that welcomed her was heartbreaking; it was unusual not to hear Lucy's cheerful voice greeting her from the living room or upstairs where she would always be found writing. She wasn't much of a cook, but Lucy always made sure Levy was well fed and kept to-go food out for her on the kitchen island, or a drink ready for her after a long day.

With all the small things Lucy did on a daily basis, it only added to how sweet and considerate she was as a person. She was strong, but she was so gentle and kind, she kept even the rowdiest of their officers grounded and rational, and she gave Levy peace of mind during one of the most hellish years of her life. Now all of that was missing, it had disappeared and no one knew where it was. The house was cold and empty, the colors had died down and everything was dull in comparison to when Lucy's smile lit it up.

Levy wanted to cry. She refused to let herself be weak, not during a time where she needed to be her strongest. She sniffled and pushed herself towards the thermostat where she turned up the heat, and then she made herself a pot of coffee, anything that could help her procrastinate reading Gajeel's folder. What was in there that Laxus needed her to read so badly? Why couldn't he just tell her? What made her the most nervous was that Laxus gave her a look that made it feel as if he pitied her, that he was apologetic if anything. What the Hell was he getting at?

Levy was halfway through her coffee when curiosity got the best of her. There was a strong feeling in her gut that told her it wasn't a good idea to open the folder, but she pushed past her apprehension and revealed the basic documents that explained who Gajeel was. The documents were outdated, reports from years and years before. Affiliation with Phantom Lord and one of the main criminals behind the gang war that had given Makarov a few of his wrinkles and thrown Magnolia into a city of panic and chaos. Tons of lives were lost in that murderous civil war, and Levy questioned how Gajeel wasn't serving time in prison. She wondered if his hands were clean, had he killed someone? Is that what Laxus was trying to tell her?

Levy dug deeper into the documents but found no record of Gajeel murdering anyone during his day in Phantom. That, or the murders were never documented. He was a man of stealth, a mastermind, and his mug shoot was a man that she didn't recognize; same hairstyle, same amount of piercings but something in his red eyes was blood thirsty and cold. His eyes didn't hold the warmth and light that they did now, they weren't kind and forgiving and loving; they were the eyes of a sadistic maniacal murderer. Just staring at him made her feel sick, this was her boyfriend, this was the man she had fallen in love with, and here he was with a dirty history that made her anything but proud.

"He's a changed person," Levy said out loud by accident. "He's not the same person," she reminded herself as she pushed further into the documents and revealed years and years of criminal activity. How could Makarov let someone like this in their police unit? It made sense that he needed someone who was a notorious criminal to sneak into Ivan's trust, but with all that Gajeel's done it felt like such an enormous risk. It ended up okay in the end, given Gajeel somewhere along the way found a change of heart, but to see why Laxus was so cautious around him was starting to click in her head.

Still, despite the burglaries, auto theft and gang association from years before, it wasn't enough to make an assumption that Gajeel was behind Lucy's abduction. Levy sighed as all these documents did was hurt her feelings, she wish Gajeel would have told her these things although he did hint about working for Jose Porla. Of course anyone would be ashamed of a background like this, he probably didn't want to scare her off, she could understand that much. She was realizing there was so much to him she didn't know, and she couldn't believe the person in the documents was the same man she had spent the night with. He was a goofball at times, his laughter was contagious and he always threw his coat over her shoulders when the weather was too cold— all of these were qualities of the person she loved, not the qualities of someone who was a heartless criminal.

Levy was at the end of the list now, her coffee was finished and her migraine was pounding. There was only a few documents left, but they seemed to be some kind of police report. She thought nothing of it, just more of Gajeel's baggage as she was starting to call it, but this report was different. There was a a ripped out newspaper headline which never ended up in case folders like this, what was Laxus thinking? It was then that Levy's eyes widened and her mouth went dry. She backed away so abruptly from the folders that she knocked her mug over and it cracked all over the kitchen tiles.

Her heart was beating so fast against her chest she thought it would rip out of her, she had to have misread it, it couldn't be true. There was no way that could be the same Gajeel she knew, there had to be a mistake, he wouldn't have done that to her. He would have told her. He wouldn't have, he—-

Levy read the headline and the same date was placed on the newspaper as it was the document associated with Gajeel. That date from five years ago, the date that would haunt her for the rest of her life and the date she carried with her as a nasty scar that streaked just below her breasts.

The earliest of Gajeel's recorded crimes reached back to the worst night of Levy's life. A cold, traumatizing night that she almost didn't see the end of, a night where she was degraded and dehumanized, the night that changed Magnolian history forever when a fifteen year old girl was pushed over the hood of a car and sliced open like an animal. It was the beginning to her deepest fears, her most horrid insecurities and one of the most humiliating and terrifying memories that stained her heart and ripped her of her innocence.

The earliest of Gajeel's documents listed the date from five years ago, the date Levy wish she could erase from her mind forever.

The year was X782.

 **A/N:** This AU doesn't have the 7 year time skip so the year is X787 which means Levy is 20, I know the years are confusing, and even more so because Asuka is still grown and yeah. Just explaining the confusion!

Sorry, I know you wanted Gajeel to tell her but I'm just so evil. LOL. Thank you for reading! And as you can expect things are about to get REALLY ANGSTY!

Also I'm nervous about the lemon as usual. I know it was insanely dirty and I hope I didn't make things too weird or vulgar. Let me know!

As always, thank you for reading!

 **Up next:** The truth of Gajeel's past is revealed to Levy. Can Gajeel clear things up or will be seen as a criminal by Levy from this point on? Lucy is running out of time, but does Levy have what it takes to take Ivan out on her own?


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N:** Happy New Year everyone! I think it's best to warn everyone that **this story does get significantly more violent** but I'll try to tone it down. Thank you for reading!

 **Chapter 17**

 **There was something eerie about** the silence that consumed the underground network; it was thick and heavy and weighed down one's shoulders whenever they tried to pass through it. The scenario was unwelcoming to say the least, it felt like trespassing, and one could even agree that the atmosphere had an aura to it as if were the threshold of another dimension where God did not exist. One of the man realms of the in between, something stuck in time with the dreadful energy and the sickening history of the place. The suffering in the air was palpable, and there was a pain to the silence that chilled one to the bone. They cried without tears, and one did not have to speak up about the horrors they witnessed or about the agony they felt grinding them to their very soul, it was a feeling that anyone with empathy could pick up on. The underground network held another type of atmosphere, one of misery, dread and guilt.

Lucy had found herself in Hell.

Nothing disturbed this thick dread, this helpless silence apart from the screams of the tortured and the begging of mercy, which would shoot through the empty corridors like a haunting echo, and no one could find where the cries where coming from. They came at her at all angles, and she felt hands clawing and scratching at her body, but she was alone in the room to herself, and there was a not a soul beside her.

Lucy covered her ears with her hands, she tucked her knees to her chest and her eyes welled up with tears. She was going to get out of here, she knew she was, but she couldn't stomach the agony that surrounded her. A drilling noise emerged from the shadows outside her room, and a guttural, gruesome shriek was amplified over the machine. What in Fiore were they doing to their victim, and God forbid it but was she next in line? It was enough to make her puke; Lucy couldn't hold it back and she crawled as far as she could to the corner and emptied the contents of her stomach.

So much for her dinner. To think that hours before she had grabbed a bite with Mira and Lisanna at a cute restaurant in the midst of Magnolia's fairy lights and cobble stone sidewalks. Her life was so innocent hours before, clothes shopping and coffee shops on her day off; how had it ended up like this? When she awoke this morning she never believed she would be kidnapped, these things didn't happen to girls like her. She lived a normal life, sometimes she felt it weren't adventurous enough... these events only happened in movies. Why was this happening to her of all people? The security of a wealthy upbringing off grid from the city had left her feeling unprepared and vulnerable, in a childhood and teenage life surrounded by body guards and servants her safety was always the least of her worries. Even with the dangers of becoming a police officer, she always felt she could handle her own, and she wasn't always by herself, Natsu was always there.

His smile flashed through her mind, that goofy grin that she never thought she'd miss so dearly. His sparkling eyes, perfect teeth and glowing skin warmed her memory but the picture before her tightly shut eyes did not match the torturous shrills that surrounded her.

She'd go insane at this rate, listening to agony and cries of the tortured. Lucy heard a final shriek, one that ground in her bones and then the shrill was ceased by the sound of a gun shot.

And then silence.

The screaming had come to an end, and then she could hear the most insignificant of noises in the facility, the air vent and water dripping in the distance. It's as if the torment had never occurred. Silence that felt unnatural, evil. Lucy's mouth hung open momentarily as not a single sound came out, only a pained, hoarse and dry cry. She placed one hand to her mouth to suppress her tears and her other hand balled into the collar of her shirt. Her emotions overwhelmed her and thick tears collected on the tiles beneath her. The cell room felt smaller, she felt smaller, and she feared what would happen to her. In the cell with no windows, no indication of time and no connection the outside world, Lucy couldn't tell how long she'd been locked up in there. The chains were heavy as they weighed down on her neck, and it only stretched out maybe five feet, so Lucy couldn't even pace around and walk off her jittering nerves.

Perhaps it was better than having her limbs bounded, but there was something so dehumanizing about being chained up like a feral dog. Lucy returned to her spot in the middle of the room and away from the mess she created. She tucked her knees as tightly to her chest as she could and squeezed her eyes shut.

She wanted Natsu...

Lucy's face shot up when the cell door slowly opened. She hadn't seen the outside hall in hours, and now blood trailed on the floor as if someone had dragged the tortured victim right past her. Lucy's complexion turned white as all color and sanity was slowly draining from her. This was barbaric, this was Hell, and she almost melted down when a large figure walked into the room, probably ready to inflict pain on her next.

"Stay away from me!" Lucy ordered with a more demanding tone than she wanted. It had rocketed out of her and she hated how terrified she sounded, her body was weak with fear. Out of instinct Lucy patted down at her hip for her gun but was left hitting the skin of her bare thigh. All that covered her was a tattered large white T-shirt that they provided her. She was indecent and exposed, naked and bare as her shoes and her under garments were stripped from her. She was completely vulnerable and that terrified her more than anything.

The door closed behind them and every alarm went off in Lucy. She recalled her basic training, how to defend herself, but then her logical side wondered if that were the wrong move. Should she cooperate and attempt to spare her life? She was certain that punishment was handed out in here easily, given the screams she heard from the last victim. She was the second inmate tortured since Lucy arrived here, and if she acted out rash, she'd probably be the third person murdered tonight. Those thoughts battled with her will to fight, and she didn't want to speak to the man and definitely didn't want him to touch her. What was the right choice? If she fought she'd only have to deal with the repercussions later, but if she fell to the man's feet, he could easily have his way with her, anyway.

There was no happy ending here...

"What do you want from me?" Lucy asked, but was silenced when the man turned to her and she recognized his face, it made her heart plunge to her stomach with both relief and great apprehension. "Wait a second..." Lucy started, and her eyebrows furrowed as her eyes observed the many piercings and the long, spiky raven hair of the man. That scowl of his didn't do him any favors, it was a sore expression anyone could remember. "I know you, you're the one from the shooting... the man we saw at Fairy Tail..." Lucy was connecting the dots, and she remembered the way Cana had called him the enemy and associated him with the mafia. Her heart dropped like a stone in her stomach. Lucy hadn't realized just how much danger she was in, but then something wasn't adding up.

She remembered the way the man had collapsed over Levy, pushing her out of safety and scolding her for her carelessness. Lucy had only been feet away when that happened, to the couple's unawareness. Lucy has recalled the genuine worry in the man's eyes that day, and the way Levy was tongue tied and a bit speechless, and never could Lucy figure out what had went on. She was too nervous to ask. Was he a good guy or not, and what the Hell was Levy doing with him? Her friend's safety was beginning to be her biggest fear now. There couldn't be a way they were lovers, but Lucy was a clever girl and she knew Levy particularly well. She never saw the master of words such as Levy ever have a cat catch her tongue, but when that man placed his arms around her and stared into her eyes... Did Levy know her significant other— or whatever he was to her—- was associated with a horrible place like this?

"You're the one who saved Levy..." Lucy spoke softly, and she still registered the memory in her head to make sure she was recalling the incident correctly. When the man stayed silent, Lucy spoke up. "I... I kn-know her! She's my roommate. My best friend!" Lucy explained quickly, hoping that if the man knew Levy was important to her than he might consider sparing her life. It was worth a shot, but if he was truly evil he might have not cared too much about Levy, anyway.

Lucy's plan backfired on her when the pierced man retrieved his gun and placed it between her eyebrows. This was completely unexpected, she thought she'd at least have a chance to talk her way out of this one, but the silent man when right for the punchline. Could it be he was sent in here to murder her? Lucy shivered then, and she heard the way the gun clicked as the man readied to fire into her. Her life was flashing before her eyes now, and for some reason her mind kept going back on childhood memories, her father and the rare moments he laughed, and the way her mother always brushed her bangs out of her eyes. Aquarius's hugs which were so very uncommon yet so comforting, and the memory she never expected to flash through her mind in a moment like this and surprised her the most: Natsu's smile.

Lucy began crying.

"Please don't," she sobbed weakly, and her whole body trembled with anxiety. There was no stopping the man now, anything could happen between these four white walls. She sobbed heavily and her cry amplified in the room. If it had been a year ago, Lucy wouldn't have begged for her life. Her mother was dead, she hadn't heard from her father in years, she considered herself orphaned at this point, and she had been alone from the beginning, it's not like she had much to lose. But then she became best friend with Levy, and then she met Natsu and Happy. She had made a small family with them in a sense, and now more than anything she desperately wanted to live, she wanted the story to continue. She wanted to live for them.

 _"Please don't,"_ she begged again, and whenever Natsu's voice was heard in her mind her sobs came out more forceful.

She hadn't even told him goodbye. She had forgotten too. She was spoiled with the luxury of knowing she'd be able to see him tomorrow as they were absolutely inseparable, she was comfortable in the knowledge that she had her whole life ahead of her, that she was so young and had so much time. Never did she believe that could be ripped away from her. She never realized how ungrateful she was, and now regret and guilt coated with the apprehension of death and she felt herself caving in.

Lucy cried out and flinched when the gun didn't leave her head but the man dropped to one knee as he knelt in front of her. The fact that he was not speaking made her worry even more, usually the villain prepared a speech to give one a chance to either plot an escape or ready themself for death, but he didn't even allow her that. Everything was happening too fast for her. She was dry heaving now, staring into the eyes into the man who was going to kill her. Dark red with not a single flash of light in his irises. A stone cold stare and lips that looked as if they were incapable of smiling, and a chiseled face with dull skin that made him appear cold blooded.

What the Hell did Levy see in this monster..?

The man tapped the tip of the gun against her forehead and made her physically jump, but it worked at forcing her out of her fixation.

"There's a camera to the corner on the right side of the door— _don't_ fucking look at it," The man warned before Lucy could glance over. She hadn't seen anything in the room, and now the idea that she was being watched sent chills down her spine. She had stopped breathing then, and when he continued she sharply inhaled.

"Another thing," the man's chilled voice started, and Lucy's posture straightened as she tried to remain calm. "Don't ya ever fucking mention Levy's name again unless ya want her to be in yer same predicament. Think carefully as to what you say. The camera does not detect sound but it watches your every move. Don't let them figure out what we're talking about." He started as he purposely kept his back to the camera.

Lucy nodded quickly.

"The tears are good," The man said. "With ya this scared they probably think I'm terrorizing ya. That's a good thing."

"Why are you doing this?" Lucy asked him, knowing if anyone were reading her lips they would think little to the question that was asked constantly.

He was still then. "I ain't meant for ya to get into this. It was never my intention to let ya get hurt. Ya ain't gotta worry, though. As long as I'm here they ain't gonna kill ya. But ya ain't got much time..."

"For what?!" Lucy panicked then.

The man glared at her. "They got ya for ransom."

Lucy's eyes widened then. "Ransom..?" She asked, and then something started to turn in her mind as she realized what was happening. Makarov had spoken to her about it before, one of those worse case scenarios they went over, but she never thought it would actually happened. Despite being Natsu's partner, she didn't think this would have ended up being about _her_ of all people.

"Which means they ain't gonna kill ya. Yer worth too damn much." The man huffed at her with a scowl. "Can't stand ya rich people."

Lucy gulped, still uncomfortable with the gun pressed against her head, and she was so relieved from the news that she allowed the rude remark to slide.

"What's your name?" Lucy asked carefully, and her voice was stronger this time as the fear lifted off her shoulders.

His eyes narrowed. "Gajeel."

"Gajeel..." Lucy whispered to herself, finally putting a name to his unwelcoming face.

"I can't speak to ya for long or they'll grow suspicious. If it eases your nerves, Natsu is coming for ya. I know he's an idiot but he'd never let anyone in this world hurt ya." He rose to his feet and backed away from her. "Ya shouldn't look too reassured, it aint a good look on camera."

Lucy didn't need more explaining. Almost on cue she hunched over and sobbed weakly; she leaned over and curled into a ball as sobs overcame her, but this time there was relief in her tears. Natsu knew where she was, he was coming and they'd get out of this whole thing together, this was reassuring. There was also the reassurance that perhaps Gajeel wasn't as evil as she thought, given he was familiar with Levy. However, Lucy didn't allow herself to let her guard down, she still felt apprehensive.

"Good. If we cooperate like this yer life will be spared." Gajeel kept secured the gun away, but when Lucy spoke up he was taken aback. The blonde kept her face in her hands, hidden as she spoke to him but shaking still to look as if she were only crying.

"You could be lying to me, I know that." Lucy started, which made Gajeel stare at her with an indifferent expression. "You could be toying with me, trying to convince me to cooperate with your schemes, I'm not stupid." Lucy's shoulders trembled as she clawed into the tattered clothing that barely covered her. "But please," Lucy cried out as she kept her face down and away from the camera, her voice grew weak as emotions overcame her. "I don't know who you are, and I don't know your intentions... but please... just don't hurt Levy."

Gajeel was silenced then as he paused at the door. He turned his face away from the camera and met the eyes of the sobbing blonde. Lucy was hiccuping and trembling, and she was red in the face from all her crying. It was then in that moment she saw something in his eyes that reflected emotion. She saw pain, and it was the last thing that she expected to see from him. Gajeel almost found it humorous, his mouth curled into a pathetic grin for a second but wiped off as something dark washed over him. This was the moment to console the petrified blonde, but anything reassuring he could say would be a lie. He turned away to exit the room but paused just at the threshold.

"I already have," Gajeel answered her sullenly, before closing the door between them.

 **ooo**

 **For now Lucy's safety was** promised. With Gajeel claiming her as his "property", it kept filthy hands off of her and orders more gentle. The fact she was going for millions also helped, they didn't want to damage their sale. Gajeel knew this would be relieving for Levy to hear, and he desperately wanted to tell her as soon as he could. However, it made him uncomfortable when Levy's phone went straight to voicemail. He assumed it were just dead or perhaps the girl was sleeping her stress off, but underneath all his assumptions was apprehension. It wasn't like her to miss a phone call.

Gajeel had placed roses in his passenger seat. His girlfriend had worried herself sick lately, and he wouldn't be surprised if she ended up catching the flu both with the weather growing colder and her constant pacing and loss of sleep. The stress would weaken her immune system he was sure, and he kept in mind that he'd start cooking more soups and stews for her to help her stay warm. If anything he could call in the station and have her take a couple days off, they would be able to understand. Levy's health was important to him and he wanted the young girl to take some time off.

What the Hell was he thinking? Gajeel was almost bewildered with himself as he watched his faded reflection in the shop's window. Since when had he become the man to visit a floral shop and purchase overpriced bouquets? When has he ever kept in mind preparing soup just in case someone caught a cold? And when the Hell did he start worrying about anyone but himself?

He was changing as a person every single day, and truthfully Gajeel didn't mind the change. It felt good to worry about someone, to care for them. There was a nurturing side to him he had never been aware of, and now with Levy being his he wanted to take care or her. If she wasn't passionate about her job he'd provide for her, anything to give her a life of luxury. Plans of trips outside of Fiore crossed his mind, he wanted her to see the world, he wanted to make her happy.

But for now he stood outside one of her favorite book stores. He contemplated what to get her. There was a 'New arrivals' and 'Best Sellers' display in the window, lined with novels he'd never seen before. He knew she liked reading dirty things— the thought made him smile — but he was sure she enjoyed other stories instead. He had no idea what to get her, but a marvelous idea sparked in his mind. He'd take her here himself, and he couldn't wait for her expression when he told her to buy any book she likes. He'd get her twenty if she wanted, and if she refused for the sake of being polite, he'd purchase her enough gift cards until she had 30,000J worth, that could easily buy her a collection.

He headed back to his car and wondered when he would take her. He wasn't sure if Levy would be calm enough to even want to leave her home, but maybe getting her mind off of the abduction would help her cope with it. He would find out when he visited her. His hands were growing cold in the stiff car but his chest was on fire, a small symptom that was associated with thinking about Levy. He longed to see her, his arms felt empty, but soon they would be together and all the stress and worries would evaporate with just the simplest of her smiles.

 **ooo**

 **Levy was dry heaving as she** felt her entire body grow weak. Crime scene photos of her blood on the hood of the car triggered traumatizing memories she thought she'd ridden herself from forever. Therapy sessions had helped her overcome the pain despite refusing to go every time. She thought she had healed and she had— she had until she found out the man she loved and who claimed that he loved her back was the one who had assured and helped to inflict so much pain on her.

Now a face was connected to the shadowed figure that haunted her memory. She had desperately pleaded him for help, only for his fists to ball up into her clothes and lift her with ease. His strong hands had slammed her into the car hood, she remembered how badly that hurt, and how he held her down with such an evil smile, and now those glowing red eyes were so familiar. She remembered the light in them, he had _enjoyed_ being a part of that. He held her down so tightly she had bruises morphed into yellow and purple against her collar bones and chest. He'd held her down as she was carved into, pushing her as hard and roughly into the hood of the car whenever she struggled.

He watched the way the man sliced her open, blood pouring out, breasts out as she was both violated, exposed and tortured— and he was _okay_ with that. He knew that. He knew who she was. The light was shining on her face. All she could see was orange street lights pouring from overhead and an empty black sky, and in that moment she felt as if she didn't exist or mattered at all. So many people in the world and none of them could hear her, and there she was used and cut open, a life so unappreciated and looked down. Ever since then nothing had been the same, not her self-image, her sanity, her reassurance, she couldn't even cross a retail parking lot without tightly grasping her keys as a makeshift weapon or have her hand secure over the concealed weapon over her hip, her life had been twisted sickeningly forever. She was tossed around like trash, gutted like an inferior animal.

She was nothing but a _toy._

Levy placed her hands against her scar. She fell to her knees like a dead weight and a silent cry racked out of her. She felt her chest caving in, and never, _never_ had she felt something so damn painful. Gajeel had made promises of healing the wounds Laxus left her, only for him to rip them open and leave them a thousand times worse than what they already were. She never knew heart break could be this physically unbearable, and now the pain she felt with Laxus was enough to laugh at— it was nothing.

This heart break actually hurt every aspect of her being.

Levy pulled herself up and tried her best to keep upright. Her knees were buckling and she felt thick sobs making her face grow numb. She couldn't feel her finger tips, and she was breathing so heavy she felt she'd faint. She had spent months with this man, fell in love with him— _slept_ with him... he had the audacity to even talk to her after what he's done and he hadn't even apologized.

How could he do this to her?! How could he—-

Everything in Levy's body froze when the front door opened, and the familiar melody of his keys jingling made her soul almost leave her body. She'd forgotten she gave him a momentary key. Just in case. _Why?_

Why had she done that? Why was she so trusting? At the time she handed the key over to him it made sense, but little did she know about his past. If she had known...

"Levy, ya coulda at least called me back. Ya had me worried sick out there." Gajeel started with a slight scolding tone to his voice and was completely unaware to the way Levy significantly bristled up. "Levy," Gajeel tried again when she didn't answer, but then he grew silent when she slowly turned around to him with a defensive stance.

He was stunned to see her face blotchy red as she had been crying for hours. Her bottom lip couldn't stop quivering, but what worried him most was the way she stared at him so angry, but then it morphed into something absolutely devastated. She couldn't look at his face long without welling into tears, and then she looked a bit mortified, like he had walked in with three heads.

"Levy, what the Hell happened?" Gajeel asked worriedly. Sure the girl had a big heart and was emotional, but he'd never seen her cry like this. It wasn't her usual teary eyes, this was a full blown break down. He just wanted to comfort her at this point, but when he tried to close the distance between them Levy panicked.

"Stay back!" She shrieked impulsively, and she backed away into the kitchen counter. Her voice was threatening, as if she'd reach for the knives rack if he didn't start cooperating.

Gajeel was completely taken back by her outburst. "What's gotten into ya?" He asked her absurdly.

"How long?" Levy asked him demandingly with a cracking and jittery voice. "How long have you known about this? How long have you known it was me?" She asked, and when Gajeel was silent she felt herself lose all control. "Answer me, damnit!"

Gajeel's mouth dropped open, it wasn't like Levy to speak like this, and the way she trembled with rage wasn't like her either. Levy was gentle, she was sweet. Why was she acting so harsh? He immediately felt himself stiffen up as he hoped to God she was talking about what he thought she was, and now everything in him tensed as he carefully spoke to her.

"Levy, what are ya talkin' about?" Gajeel asked her, and he felt his heart rate speed up.

"Don't play stupid, it's not going to work this time!" Levy screamed then. Her eyes narrowed and tears escaped them. "You're the man from five years ago, the one who held me down, who helped to hurt me!" She screamed out, and she was answered when she saw the confrontation register on his shocked face. "I told you about my scar. I told you how I got it and you didn't say a word, but I bet I didn't even have to explain it to you. You knew it was me all along, didn't you? Answer me!" Levy yelled at him so fiercely and loudly that it made him flinch.

"Levy... I'm so fuckin' sorry..." Gajeel started after a long moment of silence, given he didn't know where to begin. He only threw fuel on her flames.

"I'm sure you are!" Levy screamed then. "What are you exactly sorry for, Gajeel? Hmm? Hurting me, traumatizing me, or pretending to be innocent and establishing a relationship with me? How could you do something so vile and then have the audacity to even look at me, let alone have sex with me? How could you be this low, Gajeel? You're sick!" She hammered at him but with each jab towards him she only felt herself getting cut deeper and deeper.

Gajeel tried to step closer to her. "Levy, I wanted to tell you but I never knew how. I was, it's because I'm..."

"It's because you're horrible, Gajeel!" Levy shrieked, as she was blacking our from her anger.

"Levy, please let me fix this, let me explain." Gajeel started when she scattered for her belongings. She snatched her keys and reached for her coat, and panic surged through him when he realized he was losing her, she was slipping right out of his finger tips and there was nothing he could do to stop it. "Levy please don't go," he begged her.

Levy was angry, she was the most angry she'd ever been in her life, but she was aware that she hadn't of done what she did in that moment. She shouldn't have said what she said but at the moment it felt so damn good, so damn right...

"I hate you, Gajeel. I hate you!" She screamed.

"I can't let ya leave like this, damnit!" Gajeel yelled then, and his voice shook her very core. "I didn't want you hurt you, Levy, I didn't want to-,"

Gajeel's hands landed on her shoulders and reflexively Levy defended herself; before she realized she retracted her hand and slapped him as hard as she could. Gajeel's face whipped to the side and slowly came back with a darkened expression. It was then when she met his cold stare that she realized what she'd done. Regret filled her body and she was completely trembling from it. She hadn't meant to hit him, things weren't supposed to turn out this way...

Gajeel quickly reached forward. Now visibly more pissed off than he was moments before, that scolding look of his sent her into a traumatic flashback of that dreadful day. She had returned to the hood of the car, she could feel the biting cold metal against her back, and she sobbed then the same way she had to the merciless night sky.

 _"Don't hurt me!"_ Levy cried out, mostly in response to her traumatizing memories rather the man advancing towards her. Her plea made his chest tighten; this was something Gajeel hadn't heard her say since his worst memory. He assured her that he would never harm her, he thought she knew that, but now with her staring with wide eyes she didn't look too certain. Despite all she said to him, this had to have hurt him the most.

The hand that reached out to comfort her stopped in place as Gajeel saw the fear in her eyes. Levy looked at him as if he were a monster. His hand curled into a fist and he felt his heart break piece by piece, and tears brushed against his eyelashes. He had broken her, and never had he ever wanted to do that. It was too late, the damage was done and he allowed it to get worse. He never fixed his mistakes, he wanted to but he... he didn't know how.

All Gajeel could do was watch what he had done to her. He had to fix this. Levy was snapped out of her trance when Gajeel grabbed her hands, "Levy, I don't deserve ya forgiveness, I know that-," but his words were futile as she shook out his hold and stormed past him.

"Just stay the _fuck_ away from me, Gajeel!" Levy shrieked out then.

Gajeel's mouth dropped immediately at Levy's profanity. It was so out of her character, and it was the first time he'd ever heard the young girl swear about anything. She didn't talk like that, and only made him understand how badly he messed up. He was so taken aback that when Levy collected her belongings and rushed out the door, he didn't have the strength in him to stop her. He couldn't think straight anymore.

"That night during the party, the night I met you..." Levy started quietly, pain in her voice and her head hung low, she turned to him with tears streaming down her eyes, and her pupils shook as she stared at him intensely. _"I regret everything!"_ She said finally, and she slammed the door between them as she walked out from his life forever.

Gajeel couldn't tell how long he'd stood there in the kitchen, staring at the front door hoping to God she'd turn around and come back. The makeshift adhesive that held his heart together those past few months had fallen apart and left him to handle the shattered irreparable pieces. He clenched his jaw and felt the pain simmer his body, far more immense than any physical agony he's ever endured until this point on.

 _He was a fucking failure._

Gajeel sunk to his knees and disregarded the glass around him, and he placed a hand against his face as he tried to collect his thoughts, collect anything, but it was futile.

There was no going back to the way things were...

 **ooo**

 **Levy ran as fast as her legs could** carry her through the chilled Magnolian night. The rain poured down on her, harsh and heavy like frigid needles prickling at her. Her body was growing numb, every inch from her toes to her finger tips, and her legs locked up every so often, causing her knees to buckle and for her to fall forward every so often. She couldn't think, only a dark negative void clouded her mind that left her feeling as if she were stuck in an abyss she couldn't climb out of, and the streets and buildings felt like a never ending maze she'd be lost in forever.

The only thing that wasn't losing feeling in her body was her heart, which ached considerably with every beat.

 _I hate him! I really hate him!_ Levy swore to herself as she sped up. She couldn't stand him and she wanted more than anything to put as much distance between her and that man as possible. He wasn't lying to her when he said he wasn't any good, when he promised he'd only bring problems, had she really overlooked all the warnings and red flags he had to offer? How could she be so stupid?

Levy sped up as fast as she could endure, but her mind was churning out thoughts she wanted to suppress forever. She wanted to forget Gajeel, she wanted to lock her memories of him away in a box and set them on flames, but the more she pushed them into the depths of her memory the more they willingly played throughout her mind.

Like the way her heart beat sped up when he wrapped his jacket around her bare shoulders when she visited him at Cafe Rouge, or the time he were drunk and she chased him down the alleyway— that was the first time he confessed his feelings to her... She rapidly tossed her head side to side and shook every thought away and squeezed the tears out of her eyes.

 _She hated him._

She hated the way just the simplest of his looks would keep her on her toes, how his devilishly handsome smirks would make her body simmer with heat, and how his soft smiles could make her feel as if she was walking on air. She hated the effect he had on her, she hated the way that every time his eyes landed on her she felt like the only woman in the world.

 _She hated him!_

She hated how his hair looked in the morning, bangs feathering over his eyes. She hated how he started sporting headbands after he met her, and how his voice sounded whenever he first woke up, and how he leaned over her shoulder and guided her hands when teaching her how to cook. She couldn't stand the way her body fit against his when they cuddled, as if they were always meant to be, designed to be together from the start.

She hated him.

She absolutely _hated_ him...

His voice, his smile, the feeling of his rough hands sliding down her body and the way she felt complete whenever his fingers entwined with hers. His hushed voice whispering in her ear, his masculine scent and the way he smiled against her lips when he kissed her.

She hated him, but most importantly she hated how she felt about him. She hated the way she treasured their memories, how the thought of him gave her warmth, how no matter how hard she tried to replay that dreadful evening in her mind, the only memories she could associate Gajeel with were filled with love.

She couldn't fucking stand it, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't hate him... even if she wanted to, even if it was what he deserved...

 _She loved him._ Despite everything that happened, at the end of it she _loved_ him.

It didn't make sense anymore. She didn't understand how she could love him even after everything that had happened, it scared her that she could forgive him, that she could still see good in him. She knew he wasn't a monster, she didn't want to treat him as such, she didn't want to believe it. All of her thoughts were contradicting one another. She didn't know what to feel anymore...

Levy's reality was snapped in her face as she met the unforgiving cobblestones. Her footing had slipped against the slick, wet stone and she landed roughly as pain spread like fire against her skin and ran up her arms and against her knees, and as she tried to pull herself up she felt as if she had no strength remaining in her body. Levy pulled herself to her knees and thick sobs plopped against the ground; she felt cold and bitter and betrayed as she sobbed.

 _"I can't hate you!"_ She admitted with defeat, screaming into the pouring night sky to no one in particular. _"I could never hate you..."_ She whimpered. Her shoulders trembled and she clawed against the ground. Why was it that despite how angry she was with him, the one thing she desired most was to be in his arms? Why was it that after tearing at him she wanted desperately to see him? Why did she want him? Need him?

Now with the biting cold reality of the freezing temperature and her slowly paced heart beat, Levy felt a new horrible sensation cover her that was heavier than what she'd experienced moments before.

It was regret, but not the regret of meeting him that she said before she left. Levy raised her palms to her face and observed the peeled skin and beads of blood rising to the surface that resulted from breaking her fall. What would have been a nasty sting didn't register in her mind as the emotional pain took over her senses. Her hands were shaking uncontrollably, and she felt another wave of tears threaten her eyes.

She shouldn't have said what she said to him... she shouldn't have said that at all... and she _hit_ him... how could she hurt him like that? She shouldn't have done that... Levy was coming back to her senses, and now the scene from Lucy's home replayed in her mind. Now that she was thinking a bit clearer she couldn't believe what she had done in the heat of the moment. Her shoulders hunched, she had been going through so much, her world was falling apart and the documents Laxus gave her was the final push of her sanity. Regret was an understatement.

 _"Gajeel,"_ Levy sobbed then, and she hugged herself as the frigid air blew at her relentlessly. _"Gajeel, I'm so, so sorry..."_ she sobbed then, and the tears were endless as she felt herself pushed to her mental limits. He would never take her back at this point, not after how she reacted. Even if she did fully forgive him, she was certain he wouldn't want anything to do with her, not after what she said. She was so vulnerable and bare in her moment of suffering that she hadn't even heard the footsteps close in on her.

She balled her shirt up, the fabric that stretched over her chest as she felt her heart painfully clench. How could she heal when the only person who knew how to make her feel better was the one who had hurt her? Her vision was blurring but something went still in her body as alarms set off within her; she could tell she was being watched, a stranger's glare burned into the back of her neck and she quickly turned to find an eerie figure staring at her from a short distance. Something caught in her throat when she sharply inhaled, and she felt out of breath. Now the figure was coming closer, and the last thing on her mind was her crying.

 _"My oh my, what a scene."_ An unusual voice spoke up from beside her. Levy's eyes widened and immediately she turned to find a twisted smile barely illuminated by the street light ahead of her. "I'm sure Ivan overthought this one. I knew the moment he sent me it was a bit of an overkill, and to have her here like a sitting duck, it's almost insulting!" The man snarled as he closed in on her.

Levy instinctively reached for her gun but padded against bare skin instead. Her eyes widened and suddenly the only thing she could hear was her heartbeat in her temples. Terror washed over her and replaced the dense heartache she was suffocating from earlier. A light glistened in the man's dull eyes when he saw she was without a weapon, and his smile faltered as he grew gravely serious. Something about his demeanor made Levy all the more uncomfortable; his stance and his cold disinterested stare showed he was serious business, and he would not toy around with monologues to heighten her fear, he was here to get his job done.

"Make this easier for all of us, Levy McGarden, unless you truly want to be turned in to Ivan barely alive..." the man suggested as he picked up his speed in an incredible manner, Levy had expected an attack but the way he launched himself at her was something she didn't see coming. She quickly made it to her feet just in time to evade his first blow, which looked like he was actually trying to harm her rather than kidnap her.

For someone who came off as serious and to the point, perhaps maybe he did want to play with her first. Levy caught the glimpse of the sharp knife in his hand, the blade reached far out and it glistened under the streetlight. His eyes were smoldering with a deathly glow, blood thirst eyes of a profound killer that knew nothing of losing. Levy found herself on one knee only a few yards away from him, but something caught her attention and forced her to take her eyes off of her enemy. Deep red plopped slowly against the cobblestones and it was only then that her mind registered the sharp sting sliced against her forearm. He managed to get her, but luckily the blade didn't have the chance to go that deep.

Through the heavy downpour Levy saw the man grinning maliciously. He held his knife up tauntingly, and every alarm in her body went off.

"So you're a quick little vixen, aren't you?!" The man asked with a slight impressed lilt to his voice, but it did little to lighten his stoic expression. He smirked when Levy stood to her feet and applied pressure to her wound, which didn't stop the blood from rolling down her arm. "You're still not giving in? Your fate is inevitable, you're going to be turned into Ivan whether I hurt you or not. The choice is yours."

Levy bared down on her teeth and sent him the most threatening stare she could muster, which was enough to answer the man. After everything she's endured, after the heartbreak she had experienced that night the last thing she was going to do was fall at the feet of another pathetic criminal. The man smiled at her defiance and readied himself for the next move. "Fool," He replied darkly before slicing the distance between them.

Levy didn't have to go over what she was taught. Suddenly all of Gajeel and her lessons were piecing together, she was recalling her past mistakes, and pushing past the enemy with new profound knowledge, in a moment of life or death she pushed through, with Gajeel's words coaching her in the back of her mind. She retrieved the knife she kept hidden securely in her boot and fought for her life. This was the strongest opponent she'd face yet, making even a challenge like Flare look like a rookie; as Levy's short knife clashed against his impressive blade she couldn't help but feel herself being pushed further and further behind herself, his strength was far more than her own. However, through the fight all she could think about were her failures, the way the sound of her back smacking against a gym mat became second nature to her, and the way Gajeel would step over her with a darkened glare, clearly disappointed if not pissed.

She had taken it to heart, his cold indifference hurt her feelings but she never admitted that to him, but now she understood why he was so hard on her. _This_ was why. He was hard on her to prepare her for this very moment here, and the gym mat had been replaced by the rough road beneath her, and now the man was stepping over her in a Gajeel's place, but with a threatening weapon that would carve her like a turkey before placing her on Ivan's dinner table.

Levy rolled on the ground and out of the way just as the blade got the high point of her cheek; her eyes watered but she was lucky it were only a mere scratch. Blood was beading against her skin and she didn't have the chance to wipe it away, she only had time to brace herself for his next attack.

Her eyes watered up then, now as she remembered Gajeel again. The way his voice whispered in her ear after their first training session that she was dead, and the cold unforgiving blade that pressed against her neck when she lost their first match. All of that training felt useless now as Levy still felt she were no match for the man before her.

However, her failures against Gajeel only fueled her now that she was upset with him. Anger was coiling like a snake in the pit of her stomach, a fire of rage lit her chest and rocketed towards her eyes with unforgiving flames and a war cry unleashed from as she ran towards the man with all she had, fighting him as if it were the last fight of her life. She couldn't give herself up this easily, not without doing anything about it. He was slicing her but she took the damage with not much consideration, not when her goal at this point was to kill. She was so fed up with everything that had happened, from Lucy going missing to the truth behind Gajeel, at this point Levy was the last person in Fiore to mess with.

Her knife hit something stiff and the man's actions came to a sudden halt. Levy was met with mud colored eyes and a hideous scowl, his heavy breathing brushed against her face as they were only inches apart from one another. Her arms were shaking as she tightly gripped her weapon.

"You fucking _bitch_ ," the man swore out when Levy's blade went deep into him. His cry out snapped her back to reality, and it was then that she realized she had been in a trance and her mind was elsewhere. She had blacked out and didn't know exactly how she had gotten to where she was, but now she witnessed the way her hands were trembling as the handle was all that was visible against the man's body. When had she..?

"It's embarrassing that I let you get this far. It wasn't my job to hurt you, y'know, but now I'm starting to consider!" The man roared and Levy only had a second before his fist launched towards her and her body slung against the unforgiving brick wall. Her world spun around her and she couldn't register her surroundings before her feet were lifted off the floor. Now eyesight with the man that towered over her, Levy could see there was no light in his irises, and definitely no mercy. His fist retracted behind him and a vein popped in his forehead.

"You're lucky I need the money, or else I would have killed you myself!" He screamed out then, just in time for Levy's world to go completely black.

 **ooo**

 **Laxus kept his arms tightly crossed** over his chest as he leaned back in his large office chair. He was only in his early twenties but his lower back pain was making him feel as if he was as aged and mature as his grandfather. The moons under his eyes were darker than they'd ever been, resembling a purple that he used to sport back in the day as his most worn color. However, it wasn't very fashionable to look half alive and to forget to comb his hair back in his sleek style. Mira enjoyed the bedhead, she'd ruffled it with her manicured hand and worsened his locks to a distressed tangle, but this time his hair was unkempt without her doing. He looked as if he hadn't slept in days.

On a good note, Mira had healed nicely. She'd never let anyone know that she was hurting, and she kept that dumb smile of hers that hid everything from the world. If Laxus would have to call anyone bottled up, it would be his love interest Mira. It was only a few days ago that he caught her wincing in pain due to her bullet wound, and it was then that he had to assist her in putting on her clothes. His fingers were heavy with guilt as he buttoned down her back and smoothed the wrinkles on the fabric. Everyone around him was getting hurt and he had done hardly anything to prevent it.

A bitter taste was left in his mouth and the coffee wasn't washing it down.

"Young love gets the best of everyone, doesn't it? Gets everyone no matter how hard they try to avoid it." A perky assistant smiled coyly at her boss's distress, which she had assumed was from his relationship troubles with the barmaid1. "One could even call love the 'great equalizer.'"

Laxus huffed at that, "I think you're mistaken. I think the original quote refers to death, not love. I know plenty of heartless bastards that wouldn't know love even if it hit them." His eyes narrowed angrily as he simmered into something dark. "What is it, Evergreen?"

Evergreen's smile withered. "Just some whereabouts of Lucy's situation, typed up by your _favorite_ , naughty-double-agent." Evergreen held out a stack of paperwork with one hand while the other stayed perched on her jutted out hip.

Laxus groaned at the thought of the sore bastard. He couldn't believe someone as reckless, useless and rude as Gajeel Redfox would actually contribute to this case with paperwork of all things. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"I know, right? Guess there's a first for everything. He's never typed up his required paperwork, it's pretty unusual." Evergreen placed a hand on her chin as Laxus looked away from her. "Usually he discusses his business with Makarov and then leaves us in the dark, but he insisted on turning this in himself." Evergreen's eyes sparkled, "either Lucy is in horrible danger or maybe he's giving her some kind of _special_ treatment if you know what I mean. I wouldn't be surprised if he had a thing for her. Ugh, him being so professional about this only makes me more nervous, it shows our problem is so bad that even _Gajeel_ is taking it seriously."

Laxus groaned at how off Ever's assumptions were with the whole Gajeel and Lucy thing. Since when did his police station turn into a rumor mill? It was like he was running a damn high school and not a police unit. The thought only brought him back to Levy and Gajeel's forbidden romance which made anger swallow him whole. He was already suspicious of Gajeel given his association with Phantom Lord, but after recently digging his files and discovering his association to Levy's injury, he would never be able to forgive the man. Laxus wished Gajeel was interested in Heartfilia instead, and not someone he deeply cared for, if that were the case Laxus would have a lot less to worry about.

"Leave the report on my desk," Laxus ordered with a grumble and completely turned his back to her this time, which was an obvious cue to get out of his sight.

"As you wish," Evergreen replied with little enthusiasm and plopped the folder on his desk. She rolled her eyes at Laxus's usual bitterness and closed off attitude and concluded she needed a break. He didn't hear back from the assistant for quite some time.

Laxus waited for the door to close behind her before he exhaled the breath trapped in his chest and put his face in his hands. It had been a few hours since he'd spoken to Levy. She probably finished reading every inch of Gajeel's criminal record, and he could only imagine how an absolute mess she was. He knew she deserved to know the truth, but there was a slight pinch of guilt and worry for her mental state, he hated the idea of Levy being distraught, but there was no way to sugar coat that her lover was an absolute psychopath. Why gramps had chosen to show mercy to someone who should be doing life behind bars would never make sense to him.

Laxus stared at his phone with conflicted thoughts. He knew he was probably the last person Levy wanted to talk to, so comfort would come later. He sighed as he leaned his forehead into his hand, just in time for the door to burst open abruptly. The loud crash didn't startle Laxus, it only pissed him off, and when he sent a threatening glare to Freed, he was surprised the man didn't flinch. "Freed," Laxus grumbled. "You better have a good ass reason as to why-,"

Before Laxus could say anything more, Freed spoke to him urgently. "Laxus, they've sent us live footage of Lucy."

"Lucy?!" Laxus started then, with a face that held more expression. It only took moments for Laxus to make it to the large room that held the majority of the staff; rows of desks and computers were lined behind large screens that were projecting Lucy in a plain room. Laxus stopped right in his tracks as he felt his body grow heavy with a feeling he had experienced a lot more recently. It was off putting to see Lucy in danger, uncomfortable and distressed in an unknown location where he couldn't reassure her safety or comfort her. Laxus didn't know what to say, as now any pair of eyes that weren't glued to screen now desperately stared at him for answers.

"Where is this signal coming from, Freed?" Laxus demanded as he didn't take his eyes off of the screen; the girl was only being shot from her collarbones and upwards, leaving her body off camera. The thought made Laxus uncomfortable that he couldn't tell if the rest of her was okay or if she'd been harmed somehow and they weren't showing it.

"I'm trying to track it now as we speak sir, they hacked into our system, I didn't put this video on display, I don't even have control of it," Freed spoke quickly as his fingers sped over the many keyboards and pads. "At this point I couldn't even take it down if I wanted to."

"Bullshit," Laxus replied to Freed's news. "There's someway you can track back where the fuck they're coming from. For fucks sakes, what are you all looking at? Contact Makarov and get his unit out there!" Laxus ordered, causing half of the staff to scatter at the intensity of his voice. Lucy's voiced blared through the speakers with a chilling effect.

Her large brown eyes pleaded forgiveness, and as the video was originally muted, finally her voice had been able to push through.

 _"Everyone..."_ Lucy started weakly as tears threatened her eyes. Her lip quivered and she lowered her face to hide her emotions. _"I'm so sorry,"_ she sobbed, and all that could be seen was her shoulders trembling and her face hidden by golden hair.

"It's not your fault, Lucy..." Laxus spoke to her knowing well she couldn't hear him, but he couldn't remain silent. "We're going to get you out of there, we're coming-,"

 _"Laxus,"_ An eerie voice came from the speakers, but the face of his nightmares couldn't be seen. He hadn't heard his father's voice in years, and now every muscle was tensing in his body as absolute rage filled him.

 _"Ivan,"_ Laxus replied sinisterly.

 _"Do not fear for this little one's safety..."_ Ivan replied, and a man appeared behind Lucy, though only a fraction of his frame was caught in the camera, showing off his belt and a bit of his blazer. _"She's been on such good behavior, this little one has..."_ Ivan's hands then went to Lucy, where one remained on her shoulder and the other one squished her cheeks in to make the terrified girl pout. Her irises were trembling, and Laxus was seething at the way he toyed with her.

 _"Lucy follows directions so well, she's made this whole process so much easier."_ Although Ivan's face wasn't in the camera everyone could detect the smile in his voice. _"Go on, Lucy, tell Laxus the grand news."_ It was noticeable the way his nails dug into Lucy's shoulder, as if to silently remind her to stick to her lines and not give off any other information.

Tears escaped Lucy then, and her teeth clenched as something overcame her. Laxus's eyes widened then when Lucy's outburst rang through the entire station.

 _"Laxus, please help me, they're going to hurt me if you don't come quick, you have to contact my father, you have to make him pay off the ransom or else they're gonna..."_ Lucy's breath hitched and her tears intensified on camera.

"What do we do, Laxus? Do we alert her father?" Freed asked quickly, but something was adding up correctly to this scene.

"There's no way we're going to hand over some money to the likes of him!" Laxus answered, and it was in that sudden movement Lucy's voice sporadically entered the video. Her eyes were wide and red, and her face was pale and ghostly as she risked everything in that moment to say what could be some of her final words.

 _"Laxus hurry! The shipment leaves at four-,"_ Her sentence morphed into one big word as she tried to inform them as quickly as she could. Lucy couldn't speak anymore as a sack was thrown over her head and the footage ceased to play. Now static remained of the screens and there was silence in the station momentarily before everyone erupted in panic. Laxus's breath hitches at Lucy's bravery— or had her nights being held hostage absolutely driven her mad? Her safety wasn't guaranteed after that exclaim of information, but Laxus couldn't spare too much time worrying over his officer despite how desperately he wanted to.

"Damnit Freed if you don't track where the fuck that signal is coming from—!"

"—I'm doing the best that I can, Laxus!" Freed snapped, the pressure finally cracking him. He didn't even flinch when Laxus's glare was smoldering, and it made the large man huff and push past him. His police force was falling apart by the second, and officers rushed passed him with significant weapons as they readily headed out in all directions, scouting out the location of the mad man that held their precious officer hostage. Although an order from Makarov insisted that Laxus remained at the station, he refused to stand here and do nothing. Laxus placed his jacket over his shoulders, which was heavy as it draped alongside the overbearing weight of his guilt; he was going to stop Ivan himself, and he wasn't going to just stand around while his police force needed him.

 **ooo**

 **Gaining consciousness felt like centuries ago,** now that Levy had found herself in a pure white, soundless room. Cinderblock walls and concrete floor accompanied her, and a large cell like door without a window remained in front of her. Her clothes had been ripped off of her, and all that remained on her was a white t-shirt and gray boy shorts— Levy panicked when her shoes were missing, and she wondered where else her rain-soaked attire was. Her headband had either dislodged during the fight or had been confiscated with the rest of her items; a dull ache across her face reminded her of the sly man who attacked her, and beneath that fresh anger was still bitterness over Gajeel.

She wouldn't think of his name again, not during a time like this. He remained a soft hum in the back of her mind, drowned out by adrenaline and fear that pumped through her veins and she frantically looked all around her, hoping that she'd be able to formulate some kind of escape. Levy was a mastermind at times, she was so quick and carefully clever but now with her emotions so abundant and her mind still dizzy she felt at a huge disadvantage, she wouldn't know where to start when it came to freedom.

Had anyone realized she was missing? Lucy had disappeared a few days ago and it seemed as if no one did anything about it. She was sure that Makarov was handling it and it wasn't her business, but the thought left her terribly worried. Levy didn't know what time it was or where she was located, but somewhere through her disorientation and chaos she'd have to scan the place for Lucy and get them the Hell out of there.

Levy grew still when the heavy door opened before her. It was then that three men walked in before her. Their smiles were absent apart from the man in the middle who smiled sickly at her defiant stance. It was unusual in the underground to see a girl so confident and with a posture so prideful and reassured. They'd usually beat that attitude out of their inmates rather quickly, but it was still rare to see a fiery soul like this one. Usually when a girl is abducted and wakes up in an unknown environment her immediate response is to curl up, tremble and tearfully beg for mercy and freedom, but the blunette possessed none of the above.

In fact, from the blood coating her lip and the flames in her eyes the small girl looked as if she had been through Hell and back. Despite her tattered clothes, dirt smudged cheeks and messy, rain-soaked hair she looked not the least bit worried about her predicament. Even with shackles around her ankles she looked unbeatable; her level of confidence was amusing given the irony of it all. She was completely helpless and yet she still squared her shoulders.

"Levy," Ivan started slowly. "Given that you've grown up with my son you'd think we'd have already introduced ourselves by now." Ivan placed a hand out for her to shake, which was insulting given her hands were bound, despite his games she never broke eye contact with him. "Though, I assume it doesn't matter given I'm certain you know who I am." When Levy didn't cooperate with conversation Ivan continued breezily without her input. "Surely you know why you're here."

"Whatever you're planning it's not going to work," Levy started strongly.

Ivan turned around quickly, "but actually, Levy, it _is_ going to work." he informed her. "I planned to have Lucy Heartfilia in my hands and under my mercy and it _worked_. I planned to have the Magnolia Police Department running around like a bunch of piteous chickens with their heads cut off and it _worked_. And finally, I requested the life of Makarov's and Laxus's most treasured loved one, Levy McGarden, to be right here at my very feet and it _worked! Are you seeing a pattern here?_ "

Levy was seething then and it was visible how angry she was. The unstable man was going on a tangent now and he paced back and forth quick as he was animated as his arms flailed around him while he was talking.

"You know, _Levy_ , what you did to Flare really upset me. It really did bring a great embarrassment to my people, to what we do and believe in here in this organization. And Mard Geer, oh you _really_ laid a good one on him, can't say I recall anyone ever stabbing the bastard before. You sure are a ruthless little thing, aren't you? And to think you took the lives of some of my best workers— come to think of it, you and I aren't too different now are we? God, if it were me seeing through the clear lens of a judgment free and unaware perspective I would even think you and I were sprouted from the same tree! With the blood on your hands... you and I could even say we're the same!"

 _"Don't you dare compare me to filth like you!"_ Levy screamed then. "I'm not anything like you, and I'll never be! You're nothing but a sick, demented _monster_ and you will be stopped!"

"Now _that's_ what I like to hear!" Ivan screamed out as he pointed at Levy. "Now that is the voice of someone scary! Someone to take seriously and listen to, oh the command and authoritative tone, oh... oh yes Levy we are _very_ alike..." Ivan closed the gap between them and grabbed Levy roughly by the chin. His voice grew considerably soft as he stared into her eyes. His smile was faltering in and out as he couldn't figure out whether he wanted to grin or bite down on his lip. "And sadly still so, very, very _different.._." he whispered suggestively and when his dirty eyes stared into her and everything boiled in Levy's blood. His greedy hand slowly worked down her midriff, and cold, dry fingertips brushed down her exposed torso. Alarms went off in her mind and she tried her best to stop him.

Levy spat at him with expert aim that landed right between his eyes. However good it felt, Levy felt her body grow heavy as something inhumane reflected in his irises, and now his act had fallen apart and his mask had dropped to reveal the true monster all along. It wasn't everyday she got to look into the eyes of a mass murderer... and just Ivan's gaze alone could chill any person to the bone with uncertainty.

Calmly Ivan retrieved a handkerchief from his pocket; his calculated moves only made her the more uncomfortable, and he made a quick swipe to his face before speaking to her indifferently.

"You see Levy, the thing you're not understanding is that you don't have anything to offer for a ransom. You're an orphan and your parents were lower middle class that didn't offer you anything much but a small trust fund to pay for your college education, and then after that what little remained of their savings went towards Makarov to take care of you, isn't that right?"

"How do you know that?" Levy demanded, her voice notably shakier than before, but Ivan spoke over her before she could even finish her sentence.

"Which means that there's no big money to put _value_ on your life, and that means there's no good reason to keep you _alive,_ I could just murder you and it would be at no loss for me." Ivan started, and just as Levy started registering the depth of the danger she was in Ivan closed in on her. "Luckily for you, however, I could spare you if you cooperate enough. Looking at it in a wider spectrum your life _does_ matter in a sense, in fact _you_ could help me out greatly!"

 _"And why in Fiore would I do that?"_ Levy asked with disgust and a voice not similar to her own.

"Because Gajeel has betrayed me, and for that he must suffer in every way imaginable, starting with _you._ " Ivan stated mechanically, and he smiled softly when Levy's complexion changed greatly into something disturbed. "Did mentioning Gajeel's name make you uncomfortable, Levy? I'm sorry, did I struck a cord?" Ivan asked her. It was in that moment that Levy's feet swept off the ground, she cried out when she immediately hit her head as her back met the cement beneath her. Her world was spinning as she was quickly suspended upside down, and now with her hands and feet bound she was left dangling, a still upside-down image of Ivan swayed left to right in front of her. Ivan placed a hand out and stopped her swinging body, and now eye to eye tho she weren't upright, he stared right into her soul anyway.

"It's not meant for you to take personally, Levy. Sure, you've been an absolute pest and have done a great job getting in the way, but consider this more of an unsettled issue between Gajeel and I. I have to punish him for being such a bad boy, he really deserves to be taught a lesson. I must hurt him, you should understand... and what's the best way to hurt someone than to hurt those they care about most?" Ivan asked dearly as he caressed her cheek, and now the fear had settled into her, and with the blood rushing to her head and her breathing growing heavy, now Levy was showing the usual reactions of a person who realized just how much danger they were in, and he hadn't even hurt her yet. This was the reaction he had wanted when he first walked in, perhaps she was capable of cooperating in his terms.

"Don't worry, this isn't the worst of it yet, so keep that thought to reassure you. _This will only hurt a little_." Ivan started before tapping her cheek. "She's all yours, boys. Try to keep her alive, will you?" He started before walking away, and Levy's body was lowered to the ground slightly as she watched Ivan walk away.

This was the perfect moment for Levy to scream something iconic, something along the lines of _"you'll never get away with this"_ or _"we're going to stop you"_ but none of those phrases left her mouth. All she could focus on was the sound of metal scraping against the concrete, and then the two men that had walked in with Ivan had positioned in front of her.

"She's a damn fiesty one, huh? And to think we thought she was nothing but a sweet little girl. Saw the way she hocked one up on the boss? Talk about a ballsy ass bitch." One thug started with an impressed laugh and he twirled the baseball bat in his hand. Levy's eyes widened and immediately she thrusted her body as she tried to free herself, but there was no use as she was completely bounded and at their mercy. The fear radiating off of her was palpable, and her struggles only made the men laugh more.

The other man chuckled at that. "To think so. Hey! Since she's so supposedly 'sweet', ya think if we hit her hard enough some candy will bust out of her?" The second man asked as he held up what seemed to be a pipe.

"Heh. We'll just have to find out." and he raised his weapon quickly.

 **Lily had searched everywhere for Gajeel,** but the receptionist at his condo claimed he wasn't home and Lucy's home had been abandoned. Lily couldn't think of where to go next, but his gut instinct never failed him. It brought him to the now closed gym that wouldn't open until the crack of dawn, and he was relieved to find Gajeel perched on a bench with his shoulders slumped.

"Gajeel!" Lily started, and his eyes narrowed to assure it was him. "What the Hell are you doin' here in the dark like this?"

"Don't worry too much about it, Lil. I'm just grabbing a few of my things before I go." Gajeel started and peeled himself off of the bench, with the way he dragged himself and the heaviness of his voice it sounded like the man were in a trance.

"Gajeel, we don't have much time, Makarov assigned us to—,"

"To Hell with Makarov," Gajeel waved off. "I ain't followin' that old man's orders anymore, Lil. Those days are over."

"Gajeel, it's about Levy—-,"

" _Don't_ say her name, Lil. Just don't. That's not my business anymore. As of now I don't know anything about it. Magnolia's behind me, I've already made my mind."

"Y-you're _leaving?!_ Of ll times and at a crucial moment like this?!" Lily was astonished to see the man actually had a large bag with him, and that he was in fact just picking up a few items he never took out of the gym.

"She found out, Lil. She found out about everything, and now it's all over." Gajeel informed painfully, and now Lily had stopped and began to understand what was happening. Lily's eyes widened with shock, he knew only little of the incident but was well aware of its severity. From the bits and pieces Gajeel allowed him to know, he imagined the confrontation was anything but pretty.

"There's nothing I can say or do, it's just..." Gajeel was silent then, and he turned away from Lily to hide his emotions. "She made her mind up and I'm making mine... she told me to stay the fuck away from her, I'm just respectin' her wishes." Gajeel started as he grabbed his bag and he was starting to head for the exit.

"I won't let you leave like this!" Lily grounded out.

Gajeel dismissed him. "If ya think ya can come in here and guilt trip me into staying in this fucking city you have another thing coming."

"Levy is in danger, whether she wants you out of her life or not we still have to be there for her!" Lily shouted, and there was hope in him when Gajeel bristled up at her predicament, but Lily could tell Gajeel was hardly listening to him.

"She's _always_ in danger. She only became more in danger when she was associated with me. If anything she's safer now than she ever was when I was in the picture." Gajeel huffed, and Lily couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"This isn't like you, Gajeel! Do you even hear what you're saying?!" Lily cried.

"This is what she woulda wanted Lil. She has Laxus and all of Makarov's little pawns to save her. I think she's just better off without me on this one—,"

Gajeel screamed out when Lily slammed him into the wall with all his light, the lockers around them trembled and an aching groan escaped Gajeel's lips. He glared at Lily's rage with unconcerned eyes.

"Ivan took Levy! I've tried calling her, I've looked everywhere, that could only mean Ivan has taken her!"

The indifference in his eyes evaporated at the mentioning of Ivan, and now Gajeel was staring at him alertly. "What..?"

"Ivan has her! Is that enough reason to get you out of your pathetic, self loathing?! Is the fact that Levy is in the hands of that murderer enough of a wake up call?!" Lily asked as he slammed Gajeel again for emphasis, as he desperately tried to shake the realization into him. "So you fucked up pretty bad, so bad you think she'll never want to see the likes of you again— _so what!_ Does that mean you let her die?! So you're telling me when you fuck up you just run away without trying to make anything right?!"

"I did try to make things right—!"

 _"You love her, don't you?!"_ Lily asked then, and it snapped something in Gajeel that made him start returning to his senses. "If you love her you wouldn't be comfortable knowing she isn't safe, you wouldn't run away when she needs you. So she said what she said. That doesn't matter now! What matters is that you promised to protect her!"

Lily cried out when a great force pushed him backwards. He fell into the weight balls and hurdles, and it was then that he pulled himself up that he found Gajeel towering over him and holding the gun above his head.

"H-how did you get that?" Lily asked uncomfortable, now aware of the missing object from his waist. Perhaps he had pushed him too far, now that Gajeel stood above him with Lily's gun.

"Consider this payment for slamming me into the damn lockers while I'm at a weak point. Pfft, what a dirty move." The near by street light only yard from the window picked up a beam that glistened against the metallic gun. "Don't worry Lil, I'll only need this for a moment."

"Y-you're going alone?" Lily asked, still shaken up.

"Ya think I'm gonna stand here and plan a meet up with everyone? Levy fucking needs me, I don't have time!" Gajeel roared as he made a run for it, but stopped when Lily cried out his name.

"Gajeel," Lily started then, and when he got the man's attention he gritted his teeth. "Please be careful."

A silent nod was thrown to him before Gajeel disappeared, and Lily prayed to the Gods it wasn't the last time he would see him.

 **ooo**

 **The rest of that night had been a blur.** Lily had given everyone the whereabouts of the underground, which was a huge relief on Freed who still wasn't able to track down the location. This was the best wall he's ever seen, and never had he not been able to hack something. For now the station's screens were constant static, and there was a dreary feeling in Freed as he wondered what happened behind those cut off cameras, and what was really happening to those girls.

Gajeel on the other hand, had fell into a trance and found himself on a murdering rampage. He had blacked out during his moments from the gym to the underground, and he didn't hesitate as his fist impacted the face of the first of Ivan's guard he could find. It was a systematic man slaughter of guard after guard, shot after shot, face to the wall, arm twisted behind back and non stop destroying anything that got in his way. His vision was red as he rammed men to the ground, and his anger was fueled by his hatred for Ivan, who dared laid his fingers on the one person Gajeel cherished most.

He wouldn't stop until he found her, and he would kill any man that dared stepped in the way of the woman he fell for.

However in his bloodthirsty rage even he could see things were becoming a bit easier the closer he got. It's as if they knew he was coming— _knew he was there_ , and that they were leading him to their trap. He conserved his bullets, kept his weapons concealed and took down every guard that was strategically placed for him like bread crumbs down a forest trail— they were leading him to her and he knew it.

He just didn't expect to find what he did.

A set of thick double doors that lead to the warehouse section of the underground, where he had first gotten stabbed, was the only thing that separated Gajeel from the worst thing he could have ever witnessed. Gajeel crashed through them, not knowing what to expect, perhaps Ivan or maybe a few thugs, he held his gun out ready to murder anyone who opposed a threat, but there was no one there. The moment Gajeel registered the scene, he was an absolute loss for words, and he felt as if someone punched him with all their might in his stomach, the wind was completely knocked out of him.

 _"No,"_ Gajeel started breathlessly, refusing to believe the scene before him. "Please God, _No..."_

Levy hung from the ceiling in the middle of the warehouse like some sick display. She was upside down, with a slowly consistent drip of blood adding to a growing puddle beneath her head. She was unconscious then, and her face was recognizable although bloody, but her body was red and bent unnaturally as she was showing signs of parts being broken, skin beginning to bruise and things not looking at all right... Gajeel's breathing quickened and hollowed, his mind was going blank and his body grew numb as he couldn't associate the figure with the woman he was looking for. If it hadn't been for her vibrant blue hair, he wouldn't have thought it to be her...

"Levy, it can't be..!" Gajeel grit his teeth and tears brimmed his eyes.

 _"IVAN!"_ Gajeel's voice roared through the vast opening and boomed against the walls, shaking everything it touched.

"Her face..." Gajeel started with a tremble, his gun shook uncontrollable as he aimed at nothing in particular. Levy looked dead if anything, her body wasn't even swaying as it was suspended upside down, she just dangled as a dead weight, left to die. _"What the fuck did you do to her, damn you?!"_ Gajeel roared knowing damn well Ivan was here watching him, here playing his sick games. Gajeel turned around only to find a wall of guards surrounding him in a half circle, their guns aimed and ready for him. Gajeel was completely outnumbered, and his gun felt useless against the machines those men aimed at him. It didn't take long for Ivan, the bastard behind this all, to show himself. He pealed his way through the army of men, and dusted himself off casually as if he were only running a bit late for one of their usual meetings.

"Oh, Gajeel, how kind of you to join us." Ivan smiled sweetly, just as he made eye contact with Levy's body. "And I see you've found your gift!"

 **ooo**

 **Freed jolted upward when the static of the cameras** shifted back into a still picture. When a figure of Levy beaten and strung upside down was the focal point of every screen in the station the room erupted in sheer panic.

"H-Holy...! Oh my God!" Freed screamed out as he couldn't believe his eyes. It was then that Gajeel came into the picture, his gun held out and his body coming to a complete halt as he found what Ivan had left waiting for him.

 _"Levy!"_ Laxus bellowed. The screen broadcasting for Laxus made everything in the man tense up. His eyes widened as he took in her predicament, hung up there and bleeding out, she was hardly recognizable, and Laxus wanted more than anything to curl his fingers around Ivan's throat. Every fear, every night mare of Laxus was becoming reality. The last thing he wanted was for Levy to get involved with this, and things couldn't have gotten worse.

"Damn you, Ivan! DAMN YOU!" Laxus roared at the screen. To Laxus's surprise, however, Gajeel had come into the picture, ceasing quickly and sharing a horrified expression that must have matched his own. Through the speakers their voices came with static, just as Lucy's had.

 _"Oh, Gajeel, how kind of you to join us... and I see you've found your gift!"_ Ivan's voice came from the screen, and he smiled brightly at Gajeel's pain.

"I'll make you pay for this," Laxus swore under his trembling breath, and despite his plans for heading to the underground himself he couldn't take his eyes away from the screen. "And I'll make you pay just the same, Redfox!" Laxus swore as his anger only amplified at the sight of the man who'd hurt Levy as well.

 _"What the fuck did you do to her?!"_ Gajeel screamed then.

Ivan held his hands up defensively. "I _tried to cooperate with her but oh, is she not just the most stubborn little thing! I mean, you know her way better than I do so you should be able to understand."_ Ivan started pacing on the screen. _"You know, with the men she's taken down, the girls she'd taken from my possession and the injuries to both Flare and Mard Geer, I think this is the least I could have done to her. And after all that pain she went through she didn't even say she was sorry, could you believe it? A damn disappointing piñata if I ever saw one and she didn't even spill out any candy, who would have guessed?"_

 _"Ya sick fucking bastard! I'm going to fucking kill ya!"_ Gajeel swore, but he was only answered with a laugh.

 _"Are you now? Heh. I'm sure you want to."_ Ivan placed his hands behind his back. _"I can see why you're mad Gajeel, but this should be a point of great celebration for you! I'd be very proud of Levy if I were in your shoes! She's such a fiesty little thing, so brave and courageous just like you taught her—,"_

"Don't listen to him Gajeel, he's playing with your mind!" Laxus tried to warn but Gajeel was in enraged. "If you shoot at him they'll kill both of you!"

 _"—oh if I were you I'd be very proud!"_ Ivan easily walked past Gajeel and reached towards Levy. _"She's definitely a screamer, I can see why you like her so much! Must be enjoyable. Funny thing is though, despite all her agonizing cries she denied any association with you, took every hit just to ensure you would be safe, it's kind sickening to think that she remained so loyal even though we knew the truth all along. She endured such a harsh beating as long as it meant you were okay. I just wanted to see how badly we had to hurt her before she admitted knowing you, but she left me disappointed."_ Ivan sighed and then smiled coyly and chuckled at Gajeel. _"Haha, but can't say I'm not damn impressed!"_

"Laxus, what are we going to do? He's a dead man in there, and Levy..!" Freed panicked beside him, but Laxus was hypnotized by what the large screen had to show him.

 _"For heaven sakes put the gun down Gajeel, do you really think you have a chance to defeat me?"_ Ivan glared coldly when Gajeel refused and then took his own gun out and placed it against Levy's head. This made Gajeel tense up more than he already was and a gasp could even be heard from him. _"Gajeel after everything you've witnessed in this very facility are you really naive enough to think I wouldn't kill her? For what use does she have to me? Do you really think I would spare the life of this puny little wench of all—,"_

 _"Wait!"_ Gajeel cried out, almost on cue as to what Ivan was expecting. _"Don't hurt her!"_ Gajeel begged, and his shoulders hunched as he dropped his head downward in defeat, and the exhausted, desperate man hid his face in pure shame. _"Please..."_ He begged, and it was in that moment that everyone watching the screen froze as Gajeel begged for Levy's life.

Laxus froze then as he stared hard at Gajeel's face, the genuine begging for Levy. It wasn't what Laxus had expected, and he didn't think the cold criminal like Gajeel would sound so desperate. Gajeel's plea echoed through all signals, causing a gasping reaction from everyone who witnessed the gruesome video. Despite the many questions surrounding Laxus, such as Evergreen continuously asking who the Hell Gajeel even was, or Natsu clarifying if he heard correctly that Gajeel actually said the word "please" which was out of character of him, Laxus ignored all of it as all he could focus on the screen.

Laxus took into consideration the way Gajeel's irises trembled and his shoulders shook, and the absolute heart break on the man's face the moment he saw Levy hurt. There was so much palpable desperation to save her life, not everyone would have done that for her and Laxus knew that, not when their life was so clearly on the line. Now Laxus had recognized where he'd seen that look before; it was the same look Levy had in the hospital the night Gajeel was stabbed, and now everything was starting to click in place in Laxus's mind.

"I can't believe it. That _bastard_ actually loves her..?" Laxus asked to himself in a voice no one else could hear, and something tightened in his chest.

Gajeel was completely oblivious that he was being recorded, that his entire confrontation with Ivan was being blasted from screen to screen in the station. He had no idea, and if he did he wouldn't have done anything anyway, all that mattered in that moment was the woman he loved, and right now she needed him. He was her last chance.

Gajeel continued to aim at Ivan, well aware that if he shot the man the majority of this chaos would come to an end, and that his life would come to an end too... if it were just the two of them there would be no problem, but now Levy was concerned, and her safety would have a snowball chance in Hell once he was murdered. He couldn't let her fall to the hands of these monsters, not again...

 _"Take me instead..."_ Gajeel ordered, and like that he threw his gun aside where it slid out of sight, confidently, and with a stance that didn't match how he stood moments before.

The police station gasped in unison at the trade. Laxus's eyes widened when Gajeel's gun flew off screen. Chills ran down Laxus's spine, he knew Gajeel didn't have many options, but there was a chance he could still save his own skin, he could have refused knowing who Levy was and let Ivan kill her, that was what Laxus initially feared. However, he was surprised to see someone like Gajeel, who was only a heartless criminal n his eyes at this point, throw his life away for her so willingly.

Ivan's lips curled into a sickening smile. _"Amazing."_ Ivan began as he pulled away from Levy, the gun left her head and some of the squeezing in Gajeel's chest was relieved. _"Love truly is a powerful thing, Redfox."_ Ivan started as he removed Levy from her bondage and she fell to the floor like a dead weight. Gajeel's rage was steaming out of him and he was sweltering when her body landed like a rag doll. _"It makes even the strongest of men quake at the knees and so pitifully weak."_ Ivan finished, just as he kicked Levy aside with no decency as if she were trash. _"I knew you would cooperate, you've always been my favorite, Gajeel."_ Ivan grinned, just as a sharp pain hit the back of Gajeel's head and made him unconscious.

 **A/N: **I'm sorry this chapter was so choppy! I hope you enjoyed it anyway! If you liked this chapter **please** leave a review ((they make me so happy lol)). I'm a bit busy with school but if I see enough people are waiting I'll definitely pull through and update as quicker! Thank you so much (:!

 **This chapter also took me forever to update but Gajevy's fight really broke my heart.** ((Really didn't know how to write it, you guys are so patient and I suck)).

 **Up next:** Despite their broken hearts, Gajeel and Levy face their final moments together in the hands of the merciless Ivan. Determined to protect her to the very end, Gajeel does everything to ensure her safety, but at a price that could mean the end of him.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N:** Hello lovelies! This chapter is pretty violent but the violence will be over after this. I seriously toned it down best I could lol. I apologize for the cliffhanger from last chapter lol. Thank you all for your sweet reviews! As promised I tried my best to update as quickly as I could. Thank you for your love and support always!

Also I'm sorry for all the typos last chapter (I fixed them) I got too excited to put it up lol. Anyway, enjoy!

 **Chapter 18**

 **Her slumber had been her only moment of bliss;** her dreams had been a blessing as it momentarily ceased her agony and allowed her to escape the Hellish reality of her current situation, but what she didn't know was the horrors she'd wake up to. Her eyelids twitched as she was slowly pulling herself out of her rest, and as she came to her senses her gruesome surroundings were overwhelming. Groans and cries filled her ears and roughly snapped her out of her sleep, jolting her to consciousness like jump cables on a car, Levy's eyes widened alertly and her mouth fell open. She'd recognize her lover anywhere, even with his head hung low and his chin resting on his chest she could tell it was him from the scars on his arm and his unruly mane— she couldn't believe he was right there in front of her. She didn't think she'd see him so soon, and especially not in a dilemma like this.

It didn't take long for her to register her predicament; she was bounded at the wrists and her ankles the same, leaving her vulnerable once again. Her arms were stretched above her uncomfortably, and her hazy vision allowed her to focus in on the way Gajeel was tied down to the chair positioned right in front of her, she had to look down if she wanted to be eye level with him. Seeing Gajeel at their mercy and completely bound terrified her; deep down she had hoped he'd be the one to come and save her, his name was the last thing she remembered whispering to herself just as she took the final most brutal hit, and her entire surrounding vanished into darkness.

Deep down she had wanted him to come for her, she wanted him in her dark moments only when the agony had become unbearable. She missed him dearly, she didn't want to be in this God-forsaken Hell hole alone, but not if it meant he'd be tormented like this... It was all her fault...

 _"G-Ga..."_ Levy tried to say his name but something caught in her throat, she couldn't control the way her body trembled. Her head was throbbing, and everything in her body considerably ached; the most minor of movement made sharp electricity rush through her and she gritted down on her teeth as hard as she could to brace against the unforgiving affliction. It was then that the same monstrous men- the ones who had ruthlessly took turns beating her -had their hands on Gajeel. The taller of the men wadded a fist full of his black hair and and pulled his head back to reveal his bloodied face, bruised eyes and busted lip. Levy had never seen Gajeel beaten up before, it was rare for an opponent to ever land a hit on his face, and she knew it would take great effort to get Gajeel in this condition. Levy was petrified to find Gajeel fading in and out, his head wobbling as he tried to focus his vision, and then something sparkled in his eyes when he saw her; despite the torture of it all he almost smiled when he saw she was awake.

"Lev...y..." Gajeel started with the smallest ounce of relief flooding his injured complexion, but was interrupted when he took another brutal hit to the face. His face snapped to the side after a sickening pop, and Levy immediately morphed into hysterics.

 _"Gajeel!"_ Levy shrilled, and when one man took turns punching him as hard as he could in the stomach, one after the other, Gajeel responded each time immediately with a groan, blood splattering out with a cough and then the final jab forced a cry out him.

 _"AGHNNN!"_ Gajeel groaned, which made Levy reach towards him as much as she could. The chains bit against her skin and she bellowed at the top of her lungs.

"Stop it, you're hurting him!" Levy shrieked impulsively which made the two men erupt with laughter.

"Stop it, stop it! Stop, you're _hurting_ him!" The man who had punched Gajeel repeatedly mocked Levy in a high pitched voice to resemble her cry, while the other man was far more cold and calculated and remained quiet with a stinging glare. The first man smirked at Levy. "Isn't that the point? If you don't stay quiet over there we'll finish where we left off on ya!"

Levy flinched when the two men stared at her; the flashbacks were hitting her full force as her memories were returning. There came a point where they dropped their weapons and punched her back and forth, like one of the teether balls that lined her elementary school's playground. There wasn't a chance in Hell that her body would be able to endure another cruel beating like that, and she tried to back away despite being chained in place. She couldn't stop her trembling, no matter how badly she wanted to stand her ground, but when they closed in on her she couldn't help but start screaming. _"Stay away from me! Don't touch me!"_ She cried out as both men came to her, but they both stopped in their tracks when Gajeel spoke up.

"Ya really wanna break yer deal with Ivan, Totomaru?" Gajeel started with his voice as a low rumble, as if he didn't have the strength left to yell at him. "Ya touch her and it won't be long until yer sittin' where I am, even you know that." Gajeel's fists tightened and he grimaced at the two men who hovered around a terrified Levy.

Levy's eyes widened as she looked past Totomaru's shoulder. Her eyes softened when she realized he had stopped them from hurting her; deep down Levy felt Gajeel had no obligation to end her suffering, especially after all the things she had said to him only hours before. She didn't want Gajeel to take the pain from her, she didn't want him to sacrifice for her anymore than he already had! Her eyes focused hard on him once the men stepped away from her, and now she had understood why this had all looked so familiar, and with that thought her stomach churned. _He had warned her about this._

Gajeel was bounded to a large wooden chair, his wrists connected to the arms and his ankles secured to the legs. Levy felt tears well up in her eyes at the similarities of scenarios; her mind wandered to a soft memory from months ago where she tied Gajeel up after his drunken night spent in her old home. Despite interrogating him things were so peaceful then, and she remembered fully how he warned her about all of this, and how if they caught the two of them it wouldn't be a happy ending. Levy gritted her teeth as she couldn't help but believe this was her fault. She never thought things would have come to this.

It wasn't only Gajeel's bondage that had a distasteful foreshadowing, for Levy's position with her arms bound above her was the exact same as when they last made love. Gajeel's heart was sore at the sight of Levy balancing on her tiptoes; her arms were extended above her and her body was barely covered as she was left there to watch his torment. Only days before he had placed her in the same bondage, but at that time her skin was glowing, her eyes were heavy with lust, her quivering lip was a bright smile then, and her cries were only of pleasure and love— and to think he'd find her in the same position only covered in cuts and bruises, cold and sobbing.

Gajeel couldn't help but feel this were his fault, he's the one that had gotten her into this... he should have left her life the moment he knew who she was, before he could drag her into this chaos and his inevitable fate. He never intended this, this was the last thing he wanted, and now avoiding her for the sake of her safety was a giant slap in the face as all their time lost together was now a total waste. Despite his best efforts, they had been caught together, anyway, and were now suffering despite the great lengths they took to avoid this moment here.

Gajeel's remark left a bad taste in one of the men's mouths. Totomaru hated being outsmarted, especially by _Gajeel_ of all people. "Guess we just gotta inflict all the pain onto _you_ then, don't we big guy?"

Gajeel smirked at that. "You and yer pathetic 'big talk'." Gajeel turned away from Totomaru's scowl and towards the silent man who watched him inadequately. "And what about you, asshole? Are ya also responsible for hurting her?" His eyes were blood red now as he signaled out the large quiet man.

The man looked at him with both indifference and disgust. "You'll refer to me as Bloodman and show me some respect—,"

"I didn't ask yer fuckin' name, I asked if yer one of the assholes who hurt her! Just asking' to make sure that when I get out of this I can kill ya extra special!" Gajeel roared, and his muscles flexed as he once again attempted to break free from his restraints. His shirt had been ripped down the middle, exposing his hard muscle drenched in a sheen of sweat and the bruises forming against his skin, and Levy stiffened when she saw further to the extent of injuries, like the fresh slices from the knife that hung off of Totomaru's belt. Another punch to the face silenced Gajeel, and Bloodman walked in front of him to stare him dead in the eye.

"You've made an ass of yourself enough, cut the hero talk for the after life, it'll do you nothing here." Bloodman responded. Gajeel bared down on his teeth, but Bloodman turned to Levy to continue. "You exchanged your life for this girl, sure, but that never entailed that we couldn't resume torturing her as well," a loud cry ripped out of Levy as Bloodman turned his back to him; Gajeel panicked as he couldn't see what was happening, but Levy's chains that hung above head shook tremendously as her body squirmed and Gajeel's wrists were cut by the ropes when he immediately tried to break out of them.

 _"Get your fucking hands off her!"_ Gajeel demanded in a voice that made Totomaru flinch. Despite Bloodman ceasing, Levy still whimpered and wailed.

Bloodman stepped aside with an amused smirk, revealing Levy to look as she did only moments before. What the Hell had he done to her? Levy's eyes were screwed shut and her teeth were clamped shut as tears squeezed out of her eyes, Gajeel's body was trembling and it was then that he realized he had to swallow his pride and bite his tongue. He had spunk left in him and he could take only so much pain, but he was sure Levy was at her breaking point, she didn't deserve to endure any further and it was his outburst that made her suffer.

Gajeel knew that this time the circumstances were different. There wasn't an easy way out of this, no smooth talking, he had dug his grave and made all the careless mistakes to get there. He knew what he was getting himself into, he could give two shits about himself, but Levy... His eyes glanced at Levy who was barely keeping it together as long as she could, arms strung above her and her head hanging in defeat between her aching shoulders. There was still a chance he could get her out of this alive...

Gajeel expelled more blood when a swift kick was hit to his stomach, and his chair fell backwards and the wind knocked out of him further when his back made impact with the relentless cement beneath them. Totomaru's taunting laugh could be heard as Bloodman clicked his teeth and pulled Gajeel's chair back up. Once Gajeel was back to facing Levy, he was at Totomaru's eye level.

"You're too quiet for my likin'..." Totomaru leaned forward with an arched brow. "whatcha thinkin' about, Redfox? Thinkin' ya can get out of this?"

Gajeel spat some blood out and sent his glare to Bloodman who looked as if this were all just clockwork for him, the man was tired looking if anything, and his indifference to the torture and cruelty of the setting only made the scene more unsettling. Gajeel scoffed, "Just wonderin' what strings Ivan had to pull to get the legendary _Bloodman_ of all people in here. Doesn't seem like yer kinda party, didn't think you'd stoop so low as to mess with the filths of Magnolia."

Levy's throat went dry with apprehension when a smile managed to creep onto Bloodman's face; she hadn't seen the cold, calculated tormenter grin since she'd gotten there.

"You flatter me, Gajeel. If you actually worked with Ivan like you were supposed to and didn't stab him in the back you woulda realized he was working with my master in Alvarez. There's an exuberant batch of girls ready for shipment-,"

"Just cause I betrayed the bastard didn't mean I didn't listen to his mindless _bullshit_ '." Gajeel interrupted with a menacing scowl.

With the blood trickling down the corner of his lip and one of his eyes successfully swollen shut, he didn't look very intimidating like he thought he did. Levy feared for Gajeel's life at this point; if he continued talking back and acting tough he was gonna have a lot worse than playful cuts and bruises. Bloodman, on the other hand, only looked humored by Gajeel's courage. "And look where that got you. If you're going to try to manipulate someone you might as well do it correctly."

"I should take notes from Ivan then, he's toying with the two of you fuckers like puppets on damn strings. He's makin' ya do all the dirty work for him." Gajeel laughed then, and when Totomaru felt the need to hit Gajeel again to shut him up, Bloodman sent him a glare that stopped him.

"You clearly know nothing of which you speak of. I was chosen simply for the fact that my specialty is interrogation and torture, I'm sure I've demonstrated enough of that for you earlier while your precious woman found mercy in her sleep." Bloodman sent a look to Levy that made her bristle up and give him a look that could cut steel, but she'd be lying to herself if she weren't fearful of his intentions. When she woke up Gajeel was hardly recognizable, and never had she heard him cry in agony like that before, despite everything she'd seen him go through in the past. Still, even Levy could tell Bloodman was holding back on his specialized skills, and she didn't want to know what else he was capable of.

"Get off yer high horse already," Gajeel spat with a sneer. "Yer nothin' but a pathetic terrorist that accepts credit card-," Gajeel was cut off and roared after a loud crunching sound. Levy gasped at the gruesome sound and shrieked bloody murder for them to stop, and when Bloodman leaned away she could witness the way Gajeel's fingers had bent unnaturally, clearly broken from the blow to his hand from Bloodman's weapon.

"Oh Gajeel, you make it so, so _easy_ to torture you. You just don't know when to quit, do you?" Bloodman asked as he held Gajeel's chin up to see into his eyes, to feast in the outstanding pain manifesting in his irises. "And to think I was ordered to go easy on you... _tsk_. It's truly a shame. If it were up to me I'd of already cut out that detestable tongue of yours."

Gajeel was sweating and seething as he keep his glare solid on Bloodman. His hand was twitching and growing red from the recent injury, and Bloodman only chuckled underneath his breath at Gajeel's predicaments.

Bloodman paced between the two of them. "In fact, I was chosen to be your caretakers tonight because of my reputation. Those could even call me the gatekeeper of the underworld... once you've landed in my chamber there's only one destination from there. Your fate is practically in my hands, and you think you'd have some more sense with how you talk to the one in charge of your very life!"

"Ha!" Gajeel smiled through the pain, and his grin was enough to make Bloodman twitch with anger. "It's gonna take a lot more than speeches and broken fingers before I respect scum like ya..." Gajeel gritted his teeth and glared into the man with everything he could muster. "Fuck yer so-called reputation... I _am_ gonna get out this fuckin' chair and I _will_ kill ya with my god damn hands!"

Bloodman sneered at Gajeel's outburst. "You entertain me, Gajeel," Bloodman started, just as the cell doors behind him opened. "But I think our little chat has come to an end."

Levy noticed the way Gajeel tensed up when Ivan walked into the room. She wouldn't necessarily consider it fear that darkened Gajeel's eyes, but there was some kind of uneasiness that shadowed the man. Levy had straightened up considerably and tried her best to control the way her body shuddered at the sight of Ivan. Their last interaction had drained the courage out of her, and she remembered how terrible that ended up for her. He'd already beaten her to a bloody pulp, she didn't know what else he could do to her at this point.

The determination didn't leave her eyes, she had that much left, and like Gajeel had mentioned earlier: it would take a lot more than broken bones to make her fall to the knees for Magnolian scum like him.

"Wow, what a party!" Ivan started joyously as he paraded over, speaking mostly to the camera Gajeel and Levy were still unaware of. "I'm so glad you could make it, Levy!" Ivan turned to Levy and tapped her cheek playfully, silently irritated that she didn't flinch and flail as he expected. He then turned to her partner and gave Gajeel a ghastly look. "Oh, Gajeel, you don't look so good! Are you okay? It seems that they've been putting work into you!"

 _"Eat shit,"_ Gajeel muttered darkly in reply, which made Ivan pout disappointedly.

"Gajeel stop it, you're ruining the party." Ivan said in a sickly sweet tune before pulling Gajeel's cheek like one would a young child. "Is that any way to talk to your master? After everything we've been through?"

"Like I'd ever call you a title like that!" Gajeel spat at him.

Ivan smiled warmly. "Oh, Gajeel, I really am going to miss your spunky attitude. It's a shame I've already planned to have you murdered in front of your lover." When Levy gasped drastically and Gajeel's jaw tightened Ivan's eyebrows drew together as he looked rather concerned. "Oh, shoot! I think I just ruined the surprise of the party... foolish me!"

"Don't!" Levy spoke for the first time in a moment, which made Gajeel's eyes snap towards her. Ivan smiled sickly and turned to the frantic woman who's trembling could be heard rattling the chains around her.

Ivan's smile wiped off and a darkness shadowed over his features as his lifeless eyes stared into her, displeased. "Did I give you permission to speak, you _appalling wench?_ "

Levy hysterically crashed past Ivan's warning. "I don't care what happens to me, just don't hurt him!" Levy cried out.

Gajeel's eyes widened, had Levy absolutely lost her mind? Why the Hell would she try sacrificing herself for him?

" _I'm_ the reason this happened. _I'm_ the one who convinced him to betray you. I work for Makarov, it was my idea... I'm the one who stabbed Flare, I'm the one who murdered your henchmen, who killed off all those men that attacked Fairy Tail- it was _me!_ "

"Levy, what the fuck do you think yer doin'?!" Gajeel demanded. "Yer gonna get yerself killed!"

"What do you think I'm doing?!" Levy asked incredulously as tears threatened her eyes. "I'm trying to save your life!"

"Levy it doesn't matter what happens to me!" Gajeel screamed then, but his heart clenched when she froze and stared at him with a pained look in her eye. It was the first time they'd spoken to each other since their fight. It was painful just to even speak to her, there was something so clearly broken in the small space between them where their words fell flat, and he couldn't believe that this fall out between them could be more painful than the dense ache that was quickly over taking his body.

Ivan stepped between them. "Levy that _is_ enough reason for me to kill you, but you serve a much greater purpose than that," he explained. "Besides, you shouldn't take responsibility for Gajeel's actions. He's made his bed and must now lay in it. Simple as that."

"What the fuck are you scheming?" Gajeel asked with a grim look.

Ivan turned to him with a smile, "I was just waiting for you to ask!"

Ivan stepped away from Levy which made Gajeel visibly relax. Gajeel glanced at Levy only for her lip to quiver and for her to look away shamefully, tucking her head down as she couldn't muster the strength to look him in the eye for too long.

Ivan clasped his hands together. "As of right now things are going great for me. Once this shipment arrives in Alvarez and I pull some strings, I'll be unstoppable, leading the largest trafficking organization in the world. Then, of course, I'll have my way with you two, slaughter you like meager pigs and then work my way to Laxus. He is my blood, after all, I shouldn't leave him out."

"You plan to murder your own son?!" Levy's voice rumbled behind Ivan, shocking both him and Gajeel. Her voice was an uproar and strong compared to how she sounded moments before. She was seething now, clenching her teeth and setting him on fire with her eyes. "You really are a pathetic excuse of a father, like you were ever there for him to begin with!" Something dark radiated from Levy as she spoke of Laxus, it struck a cord in her that Gajeel could only interpret as a strong family bond. There were memories that danced before her eyes, memories that no one else could see or ever knew about, but it only hinted that Laxus and her must have went way back.

Gajeel's jaw dropped when Ivan turned around without hesitation to swiftly kick Levy in the side, causing her to scream a bloodcurdling cry. "LEVY!" Gajeel cried, but before he could cry out any further his own scream matched her's when the handle to bloodman's knife landed roughly onto Gajeel's injured hand, making his entire body clench up as he tried his best to brace against the pain. Bloodman sent him an eye that dared Gajeel to challenge him, and for once Gajeel was silent.

"You really don't learn, do you?" Ivan asked Levy with little humor in his voice like he did earlier. The act was getting old, Ivan's smile was no where to be seen and the bags under his eyes were heavier than usual. He was done taunting them, done with the mind games, and that was what made Gajeel and Levy register in their minds that this was their final moments. Levy was still coughing up blood and completely winded from the merciless kick to her injuries, Gajeel's throat was at knife point and Ivan was slowly brushing his hair back into it's original style.

"I still have a heart deep down, Gajeel. Even a man like me... I couldn't kill Levy, not after she's done so much for my Laxus. She's like a sister to him I would guess, I owe her one, don't I?" Ivan asked weakly, which made Gajeel's studded brows narrow with concern at Ivan's many shifts in character.

"Your silence hurts my feelings, Gajeel, we used to be so close, talked for hours at one point." Ivan started as he placed his arms behind his back. "At least answer my question, Gajeel... What happens to those who defy me?"

Gajeel knew all to well, but Levy remained there shaking as she tried to find out the deeper meaning of the rhetorical question. It didn't take long for her to recall Flare, Mira and what should have been her if she hadn't had Gajeel over at her apartment that one night. The most gruesome of Levy's memories fell on the night of the fire, where she sped through flames and deteriorating ceiling as she searched desperately for a little girl. Her mouth went dry as she realized the countless possibilities, and they all shared the same intent of death.

Gajeel watched how Ivan's eyes narrowed to the side of the room where containers of gasoline were being wheeled over to them. Levy had regained her strength to pull herself up and watch the many guards surround them. Just from popping open one can the smell was heavy and potent, taking up the stuffy, miserable and clammy air surrounding them. It didn't take them long to register what was in store for them, and now something was more fearful in Gajeel's eyes, only Levy was able to detect it, but it was there.

Her mouth dropped open, just as Gajeel roughly swallowed and Ivan had spoken out what the two of them feared most. Ivan sighed and began pacing as he went into another tangent. He was speaking a mile minute so casually as if his henchmen weren't preparing to murder the couple in front of him. His hand were tightly place behind his back, his eyes were narrowed as he spoke to himself, grumbled and muttered underneath his breath every so often, and to top it off Levy was begging for mercy simultaneously, making it hard to focus on who was talking when listening to the dialogue of the scene.

"I really, _really_ liked you Gajeel. I know, I know, I was going to have to kill you anyway given how many missions you failed, before Levy even came into the picture, but... but I liked you enough that-"

 _"NO!"_ Levy shrilled as one container was emptied over Gajeel, the smell was so harsh it caused her eyes to sting, and now she was crying from both Gajeel's fate and the poison that poured over him.

Ivan spoke calmly under Levy's hectic screaming and cries. "-I was willing to kill you painlessly, Gajeel, that's how much I liked you. I kept forgiving you. You see, this is what happens when you're too forgiving! Too trustful!"

 _"PLEASE STOP! PLEASE STOP! GAJEEL!"_ Levy shrieked as her chains rattled and she tore towards him despite being held in place.

"-You get stepped on, don't you see?! This is why you can't let people in! This is why you can't have any kind of sentiment, any kind of heart! Not in a business like this! Not in these circumstances, these-"

 _"I BEG YOU! I'LL DO ANYTHING!"_

"-situations! Gajeel, Oh _Gajeel,_ we could have had it all. What good could Makarov really do for you? You... heh, well you were nothing but a mere pawn, and here the pawn is finished off, and what does the King do for it? I know how upset you must be, it wasn't long ago that I was toyed around by him too, my own father..." Ivan sneered with disgust at just the simple thought of Makarov, and little by little the deeper problem rooted in the soil of Ivan's chaotic behavior was revealing itself. A mystery and story no one would know, apart from the ending that Gajeel and Levy were feeling the wrath of.

Levy's sobs racked out of her as the last of the gasoline was poured over, leaving Gajeel cold, burning and drenched in the fuel. Ivan's eye twitched at her crying, usually it was a sound that fueled him and he couldn't get enough of, but in this particular moment he was growing rather infuriated. It was clear that Ivan's sanity was cracking at this point, and he turned to Levy so quickly it made Gajeel panic.

"Levy, why on Earthland are you crying for?" Ivan asked her with a confused expression, and she refused to look him in the eye. "Gajeel is giving his life for you, aren't you the least bit grateful? Show some respect!"

"Like I'd listen to anything you say! You're a monster..!" Levy sobbed. _"You're nothing but a monster!"_

"I'm the monster?" Ivan asked and acted as if he didn't hear her clearly. "Who is the real monster here, Levy? You got beaten to a pulp and not once did Gajeel say thank you. If you ask me, I think he's the real monster-," Ivan stopped when a gunshot echoed throughout the underground. Silence followed as everyone stayed there still, listening to the atmosphere and the softest of sounds the facility had to offer, even Gajeel who trembled in his seat soaked to the bone was now carefully listening to the echo of the shots that sounded not too far away. After what felt like a life time, although it realistically had only been seconds, a constant stream of multiple gunshots could be heard afterwards which made an alarm go off on Ivan's face.

A serious aura took over Ivan as everything came to a halt. Ivan reached for his gun and squared his shoulders and a noticeable shadow reached his face as he glared towards the large doors. "Men, take care of this at once," he quickly commanded the henchmen surrounding them, he then turned to the other's who remained by Gajeel. "Totomaru, Bloodman, guard the outside of the door."

"But sir, Gajeel-" Bloodman started, unsatisfied, but was silenced when a vein popped out on Ivan's forehead. He knew better than to make Ivan repeat himself. Ivan gave him a cold glare that made even Bloodman flinch, and Ivan turned around to him fully with a red face and sweat running down his temples.

"Do you really think our shipment is more important than these worthless fools?" Ivan bit, referring to the chained up couple that couldn't take their eyes off of him. Bloodman remained grim in response and said not a word, but Totomaru foolishly spoke up with the same whining tone that would be heard from a child.

"I'm tired of putting this bastard off! I want to see Gajeel burn already-!," Totmaru started but was silenced when Ivan retrieved his pistol and shot right at him, making Levy jump where she stood. Totomaru's immediate cries of agony made a smile curl up on Gajeel's beaten face, and he couldn't help but let out a chuckle when Totomaru fell to the ground and flailed around, the bastard wouldn't have lasted ten seconds tied up to the chair Gajeel was secured to.

"Anyone else have somethin' they wanna say to me?!" Ivan challenged the remaining four people in the room, and Gajeel and Levy glanced at one another before the two men made their next move. Bloodman tensed up before immediately marching out and decided to drag with him Totomaru, who continued to cry about the gaping hole in his shoulder.

Ivan scowled at the tortured couple. "I heard suspense like this only amplifies the fear. Don't for a second think I'm done with you two." Ivan promised, before disappearing behind the doors and leaving Gajeel and Levy to themselves. Despite not being able to see his face, the couple heard Ivan's one last command, that only made Levy shudder. "When he's burnt to a crisp, dump his body in the river," Ivan ordered mechnically.

 **ooo**

 **There was a thick silence between the two of them,** despite remaining only five feet apart from one another. Levy's knees buckled as she sobbed, shaking her head left and right as she refused to believe what was happening. It didn't help that Gajeel didn't know how to comfort her, didn't know if he was allowed to at this point. All he could think of at this point was their fight that felt like ages ago, but only happened within the last twenty-four hours...

Her words had ripped his heart right out in front of him, he was more ashamed in this one moment than he had been in his entire life. He felt pathetic as he couldn't find the strength to look the woman in the eyes. The bruises painting over her only added insult to injury, he couldn't believe he allowed her to slip out his hands, allowed her to get hurt to this extent.

The realization that he didn't have much time left made all of that discomfort shed away, he knew he didn't have long before Ivan came back and he was set aflame. He had to tell her now, despite all their bullshit, all of their fighting and everything they've been through... now wasn't the time to hold back how he felt for her. She deserved more than just an apology, she deserved to know how much she meant to him.

 _"Levy..."_ He started carefully. His voice was so calm and steady despite being so close to death, so close to losing her forever, and that only amplified her tears. Her sniffling was ample, her sobs coursed through her body in rigid shudders.

"I... I never been much of a friend to ya, let alone a man...a lover... I hadn't been really good at any of that stuff for ya, not like ya deserved at least..." He started, unsure of where to begin and unsure of where to end, but at this point he wasn't thinking, just speaking his mind. Something caught in his throat and he gritted his teeth.

"Gajeel..." Levy whispered in a voice that was barely audible.

"I really wasn't much before I met ya. Ya couldn't have met me at a worse time in my life, and even worse when ya did meet me at that party... guess I was only gettin' worse with time, just decayin' with age and yet ya still saw somethin'. Thought ya were crazy, some rambunctious girl just askin' to get herself into trouble, and yet... I just couldn't have enough of ya, could I?" He smiled to himself at that, and his eyes were blurring both from the swelling and the way tears threatened his vision. As he spoke about her different memories flooded his mind, and every scene ended with either her bright, beautiful smile or the unhappy pout she'd sent him whenever he teased her and she'd grow flustered. He never realized 'til now how deeply he cherished those little snippets of time with her, and how at one point she had become the sole focus of his entire being, where every morning he woke up looking forward to her face. "I really did reel ya in to the most fucked up of places, didn't I?"

"This wasn't your fault, Gajeel... None of this was..." Levy spoke then, her voice so quiet and frail, as if she'd lost in years ago.

"I knew I shouldn't of got involved with ya but, the moment ya stepped into my life things were... different. For as long as ya been in my life, I've actually learned to be... happy." Gajeel was straining as his environment was now calm, and he could really simmer in the pain that the two of those men had inflicted on him. His voice was hoarse as he spoke his last words to her, and finally as he raised his eyes to her, she could see that he was still managing to smile. "I could never repay ya for the memories ya given me, Levy. They're the happiest ones I know."

"Please don't, Gajeel," Levy begged him as tears strummed down her eyes. "Please don't say those things. You can't go, not now, not like this..!"

"I think my times up, Shorty." Gajeel said with a soft smile, adding a lilt in his voice for her usual nickname that she initially hated, but had eventually found endearing.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry for what I said," Levy spat out before she could think. "What I said tonight, I should have never... I... I'm so sorry for everything I did." Her body shook with a broken cry and Gajeel's voice was so soft and gentle as it reached her.

"Don't apologize, Levy. It's okay." Gajeel reassured her, which only made her want to curl into herself further.

"It's not okay!" Levy cried out then, and when she looked up at him he could see the genuine light to her eyes. "Every single moment with you has been precious to me, I've cherished every moment, I don't regret anything!" Levy cried to him, and her sobs intensified as she spoke to him. "I've never loved someone the way I love you, I never will... I can't... I... I can only love you... Gajeel..."

"I love you too, Levy..." Gajeel started, which made her head snap up so quickly he thought she'd hurt herself. He gave her a pained, regretful look then, "I know I ain't said it enough for ya, ain't really thrown the word around a lot in the past..." He smiled softly when despite all of this Levy cracked a wide smile. "You taught me what it means to love, and for that I am eternally grateful."

For the first time that night a smile lifted the corners of her lips and she even let out a breezy laugh through her thick tears.

"After all the pain I've went through... the most pain I've had to endure... was the pain of losing a future with you..." Gajeel's voice broke then, and he was trying so hard to keep it together, but the reality that this was the last time he'd ever see her was crashing through him. He couldn't figure out what he was feeling, but the dreadful and heavy guilt that overwhelmed him made him feel in a state of constant regret.

Levy's entire body froze as those words seeped into her, it was that moment that every silly thing she'd ever worried about or feared evaporated. Gajeel loved her, he did, and he wanted just as badly as she did to stand by his side. The two of them, together, forever.

 _"Gajeel..."_ Levy wept.

Gajeel's eyes didn't leave her even when their moment was bombarded with the cells doors slamming open. Levy's entire expression darkened when Ivan stomped forward, visibly more pissed off than he was when he left. Levy began shrieking when the same men surrounded him, Bloodman mechanically reaching for the matches; everything was moving too quickly for Levy to process. She couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that this was happening, that in the next few seconds Gajeel would be burned alive right in front of her.

It was in that moment that Levy's cries were unbearable, she was screaming at the top of her lungs, she was breaking and everyone could see that. It was such a sharp contrast in the way Gajeel was so accepting of his fate, he stared at her with a calm look, knowing he had to be strong for her right til the very end, despite how terrified he was. "Levy," he started shortly, hoping to alleviate some of her pain before he had to go.

Levy clenched her jaw as she tried to control her sobbing long enough to hear his final words. Gajeel kept his head down as more gasoline was poured over him, causing his long locks to fall around his face like a dark curtain.

"Remember that night I got blacked out drunk in the alleyway, stayed the night at your place?" He asked her slowly, knowing her mind must have been chaotic right about now. Snippets of Lily hauling him up the stairs of her apartment and Gajeel refusing to let go of her as they cuddled were memories so fresh in her mind, as if they had happened only yesterday. Her silence gave him permission to continue.

"Y'know... I eventually sobered up and got to my senses. I remembered how frightened ya were-" he grinned thinking about it. "...I was drunk but that night I remembered." Gajeel said with an apologetic smile that morphed into a full on grin at the silly memory.

"That night..." Tears slid down his cheeks as he smiled at her so lovingly. "You've always been so beautiful, Levy..." Gajeel smiled softly then, and when his eyes connected with her's he saw the shock in them, the many emotions that swarmed her honey brown eyes. It was in that moment that the tears spilled out of Gajeel, he had accepted his fate.

"No, no, no, no, this can't be it! This can't be it! Please, God, no, _NO!_ " Levy sobbed then, and her screams amplified when Gajeel was closed in on and Ivan stormed towards her. _"GAJEEL!"_ Levy begged for him, she jerked away from Ivan but her movement was futile as his hands clamped around her. Gajeel counted down the seconds before his burning agonizing end, and all he could hear was Levy shrieking his name over and over again, begging for his life, to take her instead, and all he could think about was that he was sorry.

 _He would see her again, soon._

"I really hate to cut things short but I have a shipment leaving in thirty minutes and I don't have time for your pathetic goodbyes!" Ivan exclaimed, and Gajeel screamed bloody murder when Ivan's arms wrapped around Levy.

 _"What do you think you're doing to her?!"_ Gajeel roared then, only for Ivan to laugh maniacally, clearly snapping under the pressure of it all.

"Don't worry, Gajeel, I won't let your precious _wench_ burn to a crisp with you! That would be too _easy_!" His hand gripped Levy painfully by the cheeks as he squished her face in and forced her to pout. "This broad doesn't got much of a chest to her but her the rest of her body will make me plenty of money in _Alvarez_!"

 _"NO!"_ Gajeel screamed out then when the match was held up in front of him. He didn't care about what happened to him, now all that mattered was what happened to Levy at the end of this. Levy's eyes widened and a shadow overcame her face at what that meant for her; not only would she be forced to watch Gajeel suffer, but now her life would become a Hellish torment as she was trafficked as one of Ivan's slaves. It was so cruel, so unfair, and now Gajeel's death felt even more torturous as he couldn't take Ivan's hand off of her. _"NO! STOP!"_ Gajeel was screaming then, and the chair rattled and creaked as he used all his strength to fight against it. _"LEVY!"_

"So say your goodbyes, _Redfox!_ After the specialty show as my gift, Levy's making her way to first class on that fucking shipment! Don't worry, she'll be in good hands- _plenty_ of good hands for a matter of fact, ahaa- _ahahaha_ -!"

Gajeel clenched his jaw and squeezed his eye shut as Bloodman advanced to him with a sick grin and a match in hand, but it was in that moment that a gunshot ripped through bloodman, knocking him over and staggering away from Gajeel. Gajeel's eyes snapped open as he watched the man fall to the side, the match landing on the cement not near the puddle of gasoline that surrounded Gajeel's chair.

"Wh-what the..?" Ivan asked himself, only for everyone in the room to turn to Lily, who didn't wait even a second before throwing a hand signal that made the opening way of the storage unit swarm with Makarov's men. Gunfire was all that could be heard as Ivan's many guards dropped around Gajeel and Levy like flies. Gajeel felt the tension in him evaporate like steam at the sight of Levy, and silently he threw his head back and his face towards the ceiling as he thanked all the Gods for the odds that Makarov's unit could make it just in time.

"Sh-shit!" Ivan swore as he made a run for it, leaving Levy to hang there and completely dumbfounded. Levy's attention went past Lily and to a prominent splotch of scarlet red that advanced towards her; with her blurred vision she couldn't believe her eyes! "E-Erza?!" Levy asked incredulously, surprised to see Scarlet here of all places. Hell, she was amazed Lily even managed to find them.

"I'm sorry you had to endure, we tried our best," Erza informed quickly as she released Levy from her chains. Erza cushioned the frail woman's fall as Levy immediately fell to her knees; she was too weak to hold herself up, but it was a good thing that she lied low while bullets flew overhead. Erza's determined eyes became level with Levy, and she placed her hands on her shoulders and squeezed them firmly. "Don't worry, we're going to get you out of here, that is a promise!"

"But Gajeel!" Levy started, only to find that he had already been released from his bondage thanks to Lily. Relief swarmed her then, but she was alarmed when the bullets became even more dangerous as they were aimed in their direction.

"Shit!" Erza swore as she retrieved her gun. "Levy, stay here! This will only take a second!"

Yards away from Levy and Erza was a blood bath. Gajeel's vision was growing dark as his hands were coated in Bloodman's blood. He had made the injured tormenter's last seconds of life gruesome and torturous as he went for his eyes, and what else he could snap and break in the short amount of time he was given. Gajeel ended Bloodman's cries of agony when a pathetic figure was running for the exit in the corner of his eye. He dropped Bloodman's body as Totomaru tripped over and stumbled onto the ground, and when he caught a glimpse of Gajeel he cried out in horror.

Blood trickled down his fingers in a trail, and his menacing glare and limped walk only made the fear in Totomaru skyrocket as he backed up on all fours. He spat out his excuses, begged for his life, but the quicker Gajeel advanced to him the slower he managed to escape as his body tensed up and curled in fear.

"I-It wasn't my fault Gajeel! C-C'mon, you know Ivan! He made me do it! You should know! It was Bloodman's idea, you got him real good, huh? C'mon Gajeel, I was manipulated! We all were! We worked together, Gajeel! _We were a team!_ " Totomaru begged mercilessly, and the bloody hand that originally applied pressure to his bullet wound raised above his face in surrender as tears rushed out his eyes.

 _"This is fer what ya did to Levy..."_ Gajeel spoke then, sounding more like a monster than anything.

"Th-That wasn't me! That was Bloodman! _Bloodman!_ " Totomaru screamed as Gajeel's hand wrapped around his neck and sent Totomaru's face repeatedly into the cinderblock walls in front of him, until he was a unrecognizable corpse falling to the ground. It was in this sadistic, blood churning rage that Lily had pulled Gajeel off of him. Gajeel lost himself in his vengeful state, blacking out until he was continuously pounding the corpse into the ground, what was left of it. Lily's hands grabbed Gajeel by the shoulders and spun him around, and only half way through his screaming did Gajeel finally get to his sensed as hear a word Lily was saying.

"He's _dead,_ Gajeel, _stop_!"

"L-Lily..?" Gajeel asked then, a bit disoriented from the smell of the gasoline, the harsh beating he received and the bullets whizzing around them. Lily shook his head before continuing.

"Gajeel, this place is already in flames, considering you're drenched in gas you're the last person who should be in here!" Lily ordered. "You're in no shape to fight, take Levy and get the Hell away from this place!" Lily ordered.

Gajeel's eyes widened then as he was snapping back into reality; he hadn't noticed the orange glow of the hungry flames that engulfed the storage room. Gajeel's eyes snapped to Levy, who stayed crouched in Erza's arms, broken and limp... The orange flickered over her weak expression as she could barely look up at him.

"Levy," Gajeel started nervously, already knowing the answer before he asked his question. "Do ya think ya can run?"

"Gajeel... I'm sorry..." Levy started weakly. Her eye twitched the moment she tried to make her body cooperate. "I... I can still try..!" She cried out, but the moment she stepped forward, she fell immediately just in time for him to catch her. Erza gave an uncertain look to Lily who only nodded her off.

"We'll keep the path clear for your escape," she informed Gajeel and Levy, before retrieving her weapon and running towards the front exit. Gajeel felt relief in that one moment, but it vanished when Levy's whimpered could be heard beneath him.

"Levy, where does it hurt?" He asked her urgently.

Levy had a fearful look to her eyes then. She raised her ragged t-shirt to reveal the large, sickening bruise below her right breast. Gajeel realized it must have been what made that horrible scream rocket out of her when Bloodman touched her.

"Holy shit, Lev, yer ribs are..." Gajeel started with a shocked expression.

"They're... b-broken, Gajeel..." Levy said sadly with a defeated expression. "I can't run, not like this..." Levy's eyes welled up with tears. "Just go without me! I'll manage here!"

Gajeel's eyebrows narrowed then. "Like Hell you are!" He scolded her then, refusing to follow her outrageous decision. He wrapped his arms around her and Levy's eyes widened.

"Wait, Gajeel, no!" Levy cried out then, knowing exactly what he was going to do and well aware about how badly it was going to hurt.

"Yer not gonna like this, I'm sorry!" Gajeel apologized quickly as he lifted her up princess style, the least painful way he could carry her. Left was in agony as she was crunched together, but there was no other way.

"Lily, give those bastards all ya got!" Gajeel ordered before heading for the exit across the room. Lily's face grimaced as he watched their backs, and it was then that flames engulfed him too.

 **ooo**

Nearby in the facility Juvia had found the fire alarm that hadn't detected the fire yet. She slammed into it which resulted in the entire underground to glow red and for water to pour overhead every few feet. The siren's light flashed every other second, giving him a glimpse of the hallway in front of him before surrounding him in pitch black darkness. Gajeel's body was slowly growing more drenched, the tilted floors were a hazard as his boots ran through collecting puddles, and the overbearing siren and red-to-pitch-black scenery was disorienting as Gajeel tried his best to make his way through the endless web of halls.

The gunshots were long behind them, and now all that filled his senses was the ice cold water and the overbearing siren that blasted around them, shaking his entire core as he ran down the endless corridor.

"G-Gajeel, the pain... the pain is too much..!" Levy cried out weakly as she was slowly fading in and out.

"Levy, please stay with me, I'mma get us out of here, I swear on it!" He promised her as fast as he could despite his injuries and cradled her close to his body.

 _"I'm sorry..."_ Levy whispered as her eyes closed finally and her clenched body relaxed in his arms as she lost consciousness.

 _"Shit..!"_ Gajeel swore under his breath. "Levy... I'm gonna get ya back home, I'll protect ya! I'm bringing you back to the station safe and sound, damnit!" Gajeel picked up his pace, ignoring the water that poured down on him like pins and needles.

His heart was accelerating as he was hitting dead end after dead end, endless cell after cell... He was vulnerable like this; he was beaten almost lifeless, had Levy unconscious in his arms and not a damn weapon in sight. He ran quickly, trying his best to find an escape from this insufferable Hell before things could get worse, but he had spoken too soon.

It was in that moment that he hit a final dead end, but to make matters worse, a gun shot could be heard in close distance, and it flew into the wall just in front of him. He turned around to find a figure staggering towards him, gun in hand and eyes glowing whenever the darkness returned to the red illuminating alarm lights. With every blink he got closer, with every flash of consuming darkness Ivan grew more into sight as he slowly limped towards them.

"You're running out of places to hide, Gajeel! Did you think you could play hide-and-seek in my own domain?!" An injured Ivan yelled as he leaned against the cinderblock walls, dragging blood against the white as his hands balanced him before he could fall over.

Gajeel turned away as he protected Levy. "Yer games are done, Ivan. No matter what happens to us, your shipments been canceled, those girls have been saved and your days in Magnolia are over! _You've lost_!"

"You sure talk a lot for someone who's only seconds away from getting their head blown to pieces!" Ivan proclaimed before lifting his gun up to them, which made Gajeel flinch as he began backing away quickly; Ivan relished in the way Gajeel's eyes trembled and his breathing increased, and never had he seen the man so fearful- a sitting duck just ready to be murdered! "This isn't about that stupid girl, it's never been about her! This is about you and me, Gajeel, and I'm not leaving til' one of us is dead!" Ivan aimed between Gajeel's eyes, the same way he had after he murdered Flare. If Ivan had pulled the trigger then, none of this would have ever happened! "I should have killed you that day! At the end of this all, it's _your_ head that I want! That lousy bitch can rot in Hell for all I care!"

Gajeel's life was flashing before his eyes then, and the woman in his arms was growing heavier as he felt her slipping out of his hold. There was no more running, no more time for Ivan's speeches or tricks, all that was left to do now was for Ivan to pull the trigger and end him. And Levy? Gajeel didn't even know what would come of her. _This couldn't be happening! It couldn't end like this! Not when they were so close..._

"You're the one who is done! You're the one who's over!" Ivan screamed as he readied himself to fire at Gajeel, and when the gunshot was heard, Gajeel screwed his eyes shut tightly and clenched the dear life out of Levy... only... he couldn't understand why his body remained in place and or how he could still detect the water pouring over him. He was sure Ivan had shot him, but for now he could still feel his feet planted on the ground and the warmth of Levy's cheek against his chest.

Gajeel's eyes only opened when Ivan's whimpers of agony could be heard.

"Mother-," Ivan gritted out as he witnessed what his hand had been reduced to after his gun was shot out of his hand, _"F-FUUUCK!"_ Ivan screeched as he held his wrist and seethed as he curled over in agony.

Gajeel was at a loss for words, speechless that he was even alive, and backed up until the dead-end wall hit the middle of his back. He slid down to his knees were Levy rested against his chest, and he watched slam against the wall as he tried to stop the blood from pouring out of him. As Ivan swore and groaned in agony another figure came into the picture, one that Gajeel hadn't expected to see.

"L-Laxus?!" Gajeel cried out in shock, and his eyebrows raised when Laxus paid him no attention, as his gaze immediately went towards the small woman nestled in Gajeel's hold.

 _"Laxus?!"_ Ivan questioned with an unbelieving tone; he quickly looked behind shoulder just in time to look up to Laxus's pistol that smashed against his face. The impact was enough to make Ivan fall over, and as his body lied weakly against the flooding floor Laxus walked over to him with a look that could make even Gajeel shudder. "Laxus," Ivan seethed sharply as he glared at his son with so much hatred. "What do you think gives you the right to stand before my presence?! How dare you show yourself here!"

"Long time no see, _father.._." Laxus greeted sickly as he closed in on him, and the deathly look to his eyes was easy to read; Ivan's breathing sharpened and he tried to distance himself as quickly as he could, scooted backwards on the ground as every time the light went out Laxus would resurface a few inches closer, drenched in red lighting and a darkened aura.

"Laxus, what do you think you're doing...?!" Ivan challenged as he was petrified in place, backing up as best he could while applying pressure to his injured hand. He was getting closer to the dead end now, but just like Gajeel there was no where else to escape.

Laxus grimaced at him, "doing something that I should have done a long time ago, I think our reunion is long past due!"

"Laxus- Laxus, _my son_ , you don't know what you're doing!" When that approach didn't work and Laxus slowly raised his weapon, Ivan tried another attempt. "Laxus you're going to regret this, I'm your father, I'm your _blood!_ You don't know what you're doing-," Ivan's eyes lit up momentarily with hope, and he sat up straighter as he looked Laxus in the eyes lovingly. "To think of it- your mother -your _mother_! What would your mother think of her only son killing her dear husband?! What would your mother think of her own son killing all that she ever knew?!"

The mentioning of his mother only enraged Laxus more, and if he hadn't looked angry before, now he was radiating a different kind of resentment. Ivan's eyes deepened and his mouth slowly dropped open as Laxus readied fire, and Ivan kept his eyes glued on the weapon, disbelief plastering his pale, sickly face. Laxus started coldly as his eyes narrowed and he gritted his teeth. "I'll tell you what my mother would think..." Laxus growled, and his rage surface as he unleashed no mercy towards the monster before him. _"She would be proud of me!"_ Laxus roared in contrast to Ivan's pleas, just as he pulled the trigger and sent Ivan's blood splattering.

Gajeel's flinched when the blood flung towards him. Ivan's body fell hard against the tiles in front of him, and there was a moment of pure silence between those left alive as the two of them watched Ivan bleed out on the floor. Now what was once so loud and compelling was now dead silent apart from the pit-pattering of rain against the tiles and the blaring alarm that relentlessly made their ears ring.

Gajeel's heart was still beating fast enough to break out of his chest, but once he registered that Ivan was dead and there was no coming back, he felt his shoulders relax and his grip on Levy lessen. He looked down at her, sound asleep with the water overhead washing away the dried, caked blood on her face; she was drenched now, her blue hair dark with water and pressed against her face. She looked so peaceful in this moment, and for the first time that night he finally felt hope; for once he believed she'd finally be okay.

Gajeel looked up when Laxus's footsteps stopped right in front of them. Gajeel narrowed his eyes at him, and he hated how inferior he felt in that moment, at Laxus's feet and depending on his mercy and sanity in order to live. Laxus's question almost made an alarm set off in his body, like a fight or flight kind of thing, but he was in no match to take on Laxus, not with his injuries being at this extent, and his right hand completely useless in battle. However, Laxus's question was not interrogating.

"How is she?" Laxus asked, and he wasn't oblivious to the way Gajeel's studded brows furrowed as if he were expecting him to say something else. Gajeel was so defensive- which was expected after everything he'd went through -that he flinched when Laxus asked him the simplest of questions.

"She ain't lookin' too good, but she'll manage." Gajeel's eyes narrowed as he simmered in shame and guilt. "Broken ribs as of now, but God knows what else she's had to endure..." his nails dug into he subconsciously as his body tensed up; this was not the time to get emotional, especially not in front of Laxus of all people.

"She'll manage," Laxus repeated, his voice cold and mechanical as if he weren't human, he was still in a trance, and his father still remained lifeless just behind him. The atmosphere between the two men was dreadful rather than tense, and there was an unsettled business that was bound to be resolved in the next few seconds, but how was the question.

"What are ya waitin' for? Aren't ya gonna give me the same treatment ya just handed yer old man?" Gajeel bit. For some reason Laxus posed as a stronger threat; there was no smooth talking, no distractions, he didn't beat around the bush with taunting mind games like his father did. If Laxus had the motive to kill Gajeel he would do it without hesitation, and any second now.

"I know you've been onto me since the beginning, and now ya have me right where ya want." Gajeel's eyes narrowed and he smirked at the irony of it all; every time he thought he would finally catch a break he had another fucker ready to fucking murder him. This was final enemy, the last stop. "I know ya killed Ivan for the sake of protecting Levy—,"

"Ivan didn't want to murder Levy," Laxus corrected, and his stare only grew colder when the realization processed on Gajeel's face. "Ivan wanted to kill _you_."

"Why did ya save me..?" Gajeel asked without the defensive tone he sported moments before, if anything he was shocked and almost speechless at the deed. He didn't understand; for the past year Laxus was cold, distant and difficult to work with. Laxus wouldn't even give Gajeel the time of day, loathed his presence in their meetings with Makarov. He knew Laxus had to have been the one to show Levy his file, had to have been the one to tear them apart, so why didn't Laxus finish the job by finishing him where he kneeled?

Laxus's cold face turned to Levy, cradled in Gajeel's arms in the most protective embrace, her arms tucked to her chest and her face half leaning against him. Anyone could see how much she meant to Gajeel, just from the way he held her, and that alone was enough to make something in Laxus's chest tighten with a mutual understanding. He had held her the same way before.

"Because I was wrong," Laxus stated, and he sighed and released the tension in him as well as some of his pride. "I was wrong about you."

Gajeel clenched his jaw, still wary around his enemy, but was genuinely taken aback when Laxus raised his hand. However, Laxus wasn't lifting a gun to the middle of his eyes like Gajeel expected, instead the large man held his hand outward, a sign of truce.

"I'm sorry," Laxus apologized in a low voice, one only Gajeel could hear. Gajeel scoffed at his apology.

"Sorry doesn't cut it!" Gajeel growled out, but when Laxus looked taken aback Gajeel soothed his rough outburst with a smile. Gajeel reached out and placed his hand in Laxus's as he held on tightly.. "But killing that bastard before he could harm either of us does."

Laxus grinned at that, "fair enough," Laxus agreed, before picking the man and Levy onto his feet.

 **ooo**

 **The large blanket was draped over Gajeel as he** remained around the ambulance and paramedics that were attending to him. He shivered as his soaked body endured the iced cold air, but he refused to leave Levy's side until she was packed up and sent to the nearest hospital. He watched with worrisome eyes as the paramedic double tapped the back door and the truck pulled forward, leading her to a destination Gajeel wasn't allowed to accompany her to.

An arm wrapped over Gajeel's aching shoulders. "She's gonna be okay, Gajeel," Lily promised. Gajeel wasn't big on the personal touch but in a moment such as this he remained silent and allowed it to happen. He couldn't help but glare down at his bandaged hand, the fingers underneath that had been broken by that bastard he did a number on... he couldn't help but realize that Levy was far more broken than he was, and the stinging pain that radiated from his hand was only a fraction of what she must had been feeling. The suffering she endured for _him_ , the beating she took to remain faithful to their promise, and how until the end she denied their association for the sake of _protecting_ him. _It wasn't fair._

"You saved her, Gajeel." Lily reminded, knowing Gajeel's many faces and figuring that the man was thinking himself into a bad mood. "You can stop blaming yourself. Look around, it's over now."

Gajeel clenched his hand to stop the trembling; his face winced at the pain he so easily ignored. Around him were hundreds of girls, all the missing profiles stuck on every corner, every grocery store bulletin board over the past five years... they were all here, blankets over shoulders and sobbing. The time was now a quarter past four, and although they had saved them, Gajeel couldn't get over the apprehension and lightheaded feeling that they were still under a crunching time limit. His body was still in a flight or fight, and until he was hundreds of feet away from the underground he wouldn't be able to shake this uneasy feeling in him. He couldn't believe everything was taken care of, he couldn't believe that they stopped the shipment to Alvarez and he still couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that he was _alive_. He should have been dead, and most importantly, he should have been the one hospitalized, not Levy.

Resentment radiated off of Gajeel like dark waves. His bitterness was consuming, and again Lily spoke up to him.

"Still considering turning your badge in?" Lily asked, referring to their conversation during his visit at the hospital. It had crossed Gajeel's mind to put the Ivan business behind him for the sake of his and Levy's safety, and now that Ivan was currently being zipped up in a body bag Lily wondered what Gajeel's next move was.

Gajeel smirked at Lily's question. "It'll take a lot more than that to make me turn my badge in, Lil."

It was in that small moment they allowed themselves to share a good laugh, and the smile on Gajeel's lips felt almost foreign. Finally, things were going to be okay.

 **A/N:** God, that was wild to write. Phew. Lmao. As promised I uploaded quickly thanks to all of the reviews. I really appreciated your feedback! Please review more if you enjoyed this chapter and for me to get to updating quicker so I don't keep everyone waiting!

Oh, and yeah all of the bondage in this story from some of the sex scenes were totally foreshadowing to this moment, I know I'm a fucked up writer lmao. I will see you in the next chapter! ((There's only TWO left!))

Also, it's been an entire year that I've been writing Cafe Rogue! Thank you so much for all of the reviews and for everyone who has checked my story out. It's been such an honor and pleasure writing for you guys!

 **Up next:** Laxus explains to Levy the recordings of their torture and Gajeel's heroic acts. As flustered and amazed Levy is, this new found information makes their confrontation all the more emotional. Now in the hospital and slowly healing, Levy await anxiously for Gajeel to walk in.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N:** I'm going to apologize for this chapter, my writers block was unforgiving and this was my best trying not to make this whole thing seem all over the place. Thank you for all of your reviews as always, and I hope to see you for the final next chapter!!!

 **Chapter 19**

 **It was early noon when Levy** had first woken up, right as the sun was highest in the sky. The leaves outside her room caused shadows to dance across the plain white walls around her, and as she fixated on the vibrancy of the world past her window sill, nurses and doctors entered in an out like quickened blurs that didn't stay around long enough for her to familiarize herself with. She always felt like she was meeting someone for the first time, or were this due to her constant state of fatigue that made her state of consciousness practically impossible? Levy kept drifting in and out, awakening at various parts of the day, until night settled and she remained conscious. It was evening by the time Levy had started speaking again.

A whisper of sweetened milk, processed snacks and a small apple made Levy's nose crinkle. She wasn't strong enough to stomach the heartier options of food the hospital had to offer, so smaller, less filling meals would have to do for now. The shiny packaging and syrupy sweet juices didn't exactly encourage her to eat; even if the blunette was starving her gnawing nerves would never allow her to keep anything down.

Her loss of appetite made her lethargic, and she remained slumped against the bed that allowed her to be upright. She was as comfortable as she could be in a hospital, and was grateful the pain medicine would aid her in a slow recovery. Levy's iced fingertips pressed carefully against her skin, still smooth to the touch as she remembered yet cold and unfamiliar. She couldn't believe she was still here, she was barely functioning, but at least she was in one whole piece. Two shaking fingers pressed against her wrist and for a moment she felt the soft heart beat that was strumming along with a considerable will to live.

When Levy's world darkened around her, there in Gajeel's arms as he carried her to safety, there was a drop in her heart where she knew there was a chance she wouldn't wake up. With the damage she took, she was surprised she ended up being alive. A cramped hospital room and a beating heart proved to her that it was going to take a lot more than a harsh defeat to get rid of her. Most would say that surviving the trauma was the hard part to her dilemma, but Levy's stomach flipped around as she realized there was a far bigger problem left to be resolved.

She tried her best not to make any quick movements, it was a chore trying to keep the dizziness at bay, but she was awake and she'd remain awake as long as she could fight against it, but with each second she felt herself pulling back to sleep— she was trying desperately hard to remain conscious so she could see the man that was clouding her mind, she wasn't fooling anybody. As happy as she was to see him, her excitement faltered and her body grew heavy with worry.

The regret of her words and decisions still remained coiled up like a snake in the pit of her stomach. Foolishly she believed she could sleep off her guilt and wake up in a more comfortable state of mind; unfortunately Levy caught herself cradling in and curling around the churning in her gut that made her relive their fight with every twist and turn. Apart from all of that, shame burned her chest and heated her heart uncomfortably. She couldn't believe she had ended up like this.

The young blunette sighed and lied her head back, staring up at the plain tiled ceiling.

"How many times are ya gonna put yourself in the hospital, Lev?" Levy asked herself and placed a hand on her temple as she felt her head throbbing."If Makarov and Gajeel weren't here I woulda been bankrupt from medical bills by now..." Levy whined under her breath before silencing herself with a sigh. She couldn't stand the thought of being a burden, and she promised herself that when she saw Gajeel she'd refuse to take accept any kind of money he offered. She only allowed it once, but now things were different. Things between them were different now, and that was _her_ fault...

She tried to shake the thought outside of her head.

"You did it again, Levy, can't get enough of the spotlight, huh?" She scolded herself as yet again she had made a huge scene, or maybe getting into trouble was so normal of Levy by now that no one would make a big deal about it. She wasn't quite sure, but it made her feel a bit embarrassed, anyway.

The sun was setting in the Magnolian sky and it's golden rays spilled over her lap, making the bandages on her fingers glow under the magnificent light. It was such a beautiful day out, so peaceful with the cold breeze scratching against the window; from her bedside it looked like her favorite Spring weather. There was positivity in the thought that she'd be feeling better by the annual festival, but all attempts of clearing her mind were futile. She had been hoping to go to the festival with _him_...

Levy's optimistic views didn't settle the uneasy feeling in her stomach. If Lily, Erza and the rest of Makarov's force hadn't of made it to the underground in time, if they were even a few short seconds late, Gajeel would have been murdered. She couldn't get the picture out of her head, flames surrounding him, his body thrashing, the smell of burning flesh and her horrified screams that would have been overwhelmed by his cries. It never happened, but in her nightmares it had, which made her catapult in bed in a sweat and her heart pounding.

If the backup was only a few short seconds late, she wouldn't have seen the beautiful morning light or found peace in the relaxing sunset; she'd be in a cold warehouse somewhere with hundreds of other girls, hopeless and broken. She'd be tugging her knees into her chest, crying pitifully as no one would know where she was, where to find her, and her fate would be a short lived life of affliction and bitterness. The fact that the outcome could have so easily been that: alone without Gajeel, ready to face a life as a sex slave and living with the sight of him dying one of the most horrific deaths...

She couldn't stop shaking.

She couldn't be more grateful for everyone, and she hoped that they would forgive her for all the chaos she started by being foolish enough to run by herself in the middle of the night. Even though she was safe now, she couldn't fight the realization that they were so close to death, that they wouldn't have made it out of that situation alive on their own. Because of this near death experience Levy felt as if this calm moment weren't real. She flexed her wrist and hissed sharply at the pain that responded back to her motion, proof that this weren't a dream.

Levy's loathing was interrupted when a simple knock rattled on the door.

"Come in," Levy's voice was weary, but she felt herself relax some when she saw Laxus enter her hospital room. "Laxus!" Levy chirped cheerfully and a beautiful smile radiated from her. She hadn't talked to him since Gajeel's report, and he was one of the main people Levy worried she would never see again. She had to regain her cool once he walked towards her, just having the blessing to see someone so important to her when she was so close to having taken away from her was almost too much for her to handle. She didn't want to get emotional in front of him.

"I See you're healing up just fine," Laxus smiled, suppressing how despondent he was about Levy's hospitalization. His jaw clenched and he tried his best not to overlook her injuries too hard; her face was bruised up significantly now that it had been a full day after, and he could see the many bandages and casts on her body. Laxus kept things casual, he knew his sadness would do Levy no good during a time like this. "How are you feeling?" He asked her.

"I'm fine," Levy replied but her response was rather empty.

Laxus half-grinned at that; his lips curled upward only for a split second before they returned to a flat line. "Despite everything being finished with, you don't look satisfied." Laxus brought to Levy's attention how restless she was coming off, and it wasn't her physical injuries keeping her awake and dreadful.

Levy's smile melted off and her true expression was revealed: tired and pale just as Laxus had expected. Subtly her fingers curled inward to her palms and she sat their with an anger in her chest that she couldn't explain to him. She wouldn't be able to describe her trouble to anyone, only Gajeel could understand this dread residing in her, and only because she had anchored that same strong emotion into him. She knew they were both hurting in the same way, and she desperately wanted to talk to him about it, but the thought of seeing him scared her as of now.

"You're safe now, Levy. Everything is over with. Your job is done." Laxus reminded her soothingly, assuming Levy's concerned looked was due to the scene with Ivan.

As helpful as Laxus was trying to be, this wasn't why Levy was so off put. This was the stage of the conversation where she was supposed to smile and say something courageous or inspiring, but she was lacking in the optimistic department currently. That change in character broke Laxus's heart, and it was clear how something darkened around him. He had tried so hard to be strong when he entered the room, but Laxus couldn't remain collected when seeing Levy injured like this. He'd never seen her face so beaten, her body covered in casts and bandages... she didn't deserve it. She was the last person one would ever expect to be in a medical predicament like this.

Levy wasn't the type of person one would harm, she was the type everyone would try their best to protect. The whole idea of anyone ever wanting to harm her was unsettling to him. Silence settled over them as Levy couldn't find a topic she particularly wanted to dive in. Every word that was ready to sprout from her cracked lips left a faded silhouette of a lover in her mind, and every time her swollen eyes shut she saw ruby red glaring back at her. There was no escaping her guilt. The rest of Laxus and her conversation went by like background noise, similar to static from a lacrima television screen disappearing and blending in with the environment, and only one of his comments had came to her attention.

"Y'know, theres always therapy again," Laxus reminded hopefully, but when Levy glanced at him with a dead expression he felt his heart sink. She hadn't ever given him that look before, and Laxus regretted his words. When she had been attacked almost six years ago... she at least had _some_ kind emotion on her face, she was showing signs any victim would, but now..? Now she looked like a corpse, surviving on her last thread of will to live, apathetic to the idea as a whole.

Laxus felt selfish to put the spotlight on himself, but he was feeling as if he were reliving that same Hellish memory. After Mash had cut her open, it was Laxus who remained by her side in the hospital until she woke up. He remembered sitting by her bed, crying into his hands when no one was around to hear him, he recalled how the light had left her once lively eyes and badly that terrified him.

He was the one that sat there when Makarov suggested Levy seek professional health, given both Laxus and his grandfather desperately wanted the young girl to smile again. Truth be told, Laxus being rough on the edges and cold was just a front; deep down he was caring, and more personally he was young and still naive. He had no idea what to do in this situation, and Laxus hated the feeling of being useless. His offer of help remained in the air for a moment before Levy slightly shook her head side to side.

Levy kindly refused. "It's a good idea, but I'm fine for now." Levy answered with an apologetic smile. "Everything that happened was definitely traumatizing, I'm going to hold onto that baggage for a while..." her eyes narrowed and she stared into her palms, the many bandages that wrapped around her hands. "I'm really not ready to talk about it, especially not to any professionals."

"I understand," Laxus replied sullenly.

Levy eyebrows furrowed into a hardened look, almost like the sound of the man's name ignited a deep anger within her. Her voice was strong in comparison before, and she demanded Laxus for an answer. "Where's Ivan?"

The sharp change in subject took Laxus aback. Levy's irises were trembling as she stared at him with so much determination. Laxus had almost forgot that Levy was so unaware of everything that happened that night, and that she fainted before seeing the end of Ivan's reign.

"I killed him." Laxus replied with a hallow answer. Where he lacked emotion in his words concerned him; he should have been more shaken up about murdering his own father, yet he sat there calm and collected about it. Perhaps it was a deed that was meant to be done for a long time, and until that moment he didn't have the courage to do it.

Levy's mouth parted as if she had something to say, but she slowly turned away from him with a noticeable tremble to her body. She gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes to prevent herself from reliving that hellish night; she wanted to be strong, and she tensed her entire body whenever faded images of Ivan hitting her came to play in her mind. It all seemed like some distant nightmare, but the stinging pain simmering her body proved it was a recent trauma.

Laxus's face hardened then and suddenly a well needed apology rocketed out of him so rapidly it startled her; Laxus didn't mean to come off this way, he just didn't know where to start. "Levy, what I did about the case file was wrong; it was the worst way to let you find out Gajeel, I... I just didn't want you to get hurt like last time—,"

"Laxus, you're blaming yourself again," Levy stopped him in his tracks and gave him a soft, forgiving grin. "You did what you believed was right. If I was worried for you I'd have done the same thing."

Laxus shook his head no. "I shouldn't have showed you that file. At the end of the day, it wasn't him who had left that scar on you, I just... I just wanted to protect you because I couldn't before." Laxus admitted with a regretful expression. "I was wrong about him, about Gajeel," Laxus admitted, and when he looked up he noticed that Levy's mood had changed considerably. A deep sadness was expressed on her face and Laxus sympathized for her.

"Levy, I'm sorry..." Laxus said almost inaudible when he saw the way Levy's lip quivered at the mentioning of Gajeel's name. What she had endured with that man was the most brutal torment anyone in the station had seen. Laxus was worried to even bring Gajeel's name up, but he couldn't protect her of the pain of her situation forever. Levy wasn't the type to step around on eggshells, either. She would pry the truth out of him eventually.

"Maybe you were right, Laxus, maybe there was a reason you showed me that file..." Levy whispered sadly, tears waxing her eyelashes. "I could never hate Gajeel, don't get me wrong, but... I don't know if things could be back to normal. I think I messed up, Laxus. I think there's something broken between us, and I don't think I'll be able to fix it..." Levy wasn't sure why she was spilling so much out to him. Their relationship had mended over the past few months and for once they finally felt like family again rather than a boss and employee, she was starting to feel as though she could tell Laxus her problems like she did when she was younger. Even if it wasn't his business, Levy didn't know who else to talk to as of now. Despite her worries Laxus remained silent and listened.

"Whenever I think of him, I just get really sad, and I don't want to feel like that, he's the only person that's made me genuinely happy and I ..." her lip quivered softly as her eyes stared downward. "I just wish things could go back to normal, but I ruined it. I ruined _everything_."

"You didn't ruin everything. Just because it's broken doesn't mean it can't be fixed, Lev. It's not irreparable." Laxus started, and when Levy remained silent Laxus took a deep breath in. "That man threw his life away for you."

"What..?" Levy asked quietly, not sure what Laxus meant by that.

Laxus narrowed his eyes and after a moment of consideration retrieved a tape out from his pocket. He held it in his hand and contemplated if this were the right choice. He was cautious with his actions given how many mistakes he'd made in the past few days. This, however, was the whole reason he'd come to visit her, anyway. It was him who had made things harder on Levy solely out of his hatred for Gajeel, and now it was up to him to fix the damage he had caused.

"Levy, there's something that I want to show you. It might be a bit hard to watch, but I think you should see it." Laxus warned, and he saw the way a shadow darkened over Levy's face, as if deep down she knew exactly what he was holding. Levy returned a grim expression, but nodded as she understood that the tape wasn't going to be easy to watch.

"After what I've been through Laxus, I don't think a video is going to hurt me," Levy declared confidently. There was a tremble to her voice, but Laxus nodded at her response before rising to his feet.

 **ooo**

 **When the tape had finished,** Levy sat there with more information than she could process. Of course there was the heroic acts Gajeel portrayed that made her heart feel like it was going to explode out of her chest, but there was also the security camera that captured Laxus murdering his father. To think that Laxus went out of his way to retrieve that footage just to make a point to Levy made her heart sink to her stomach. Gajeel had _saved_ her, but what she found most shocking was that Laxus protected not just her, but Gajeel as well.

Silence was heavy between the two of them, and Levy's eyes fixated in the distance as she tried to figure out the right thing to say, where to even start. She found closure seeing Ivan die, it was enough to have her truly believe he was gone, and that brought her peace. However, the man next to her was stiff and his eyes darkened as the screen went black. Levy swallowed the apprehension in her throat, and carefully as if she were approaching a wild animal she cautiously spoke to the man.

"Laxus... I'm really sorry about Ivan," Levy started slowly. Despite being a long term criminal to them, underneath it all that was still Laxus's father, it had to have been hard on him. Laxus didn't look at her then, and Levy could feel the sadness that darkened around him like a shadow.

She couldn't believe that Ivan was dead, and what was worse was that she could sense that Laxus was unsettled with the fact that he was the one who killed him. Ivan and Laxus didn't have much of a bond, but Levy could recall the childhood memories Laxus spoke of a long time ago, and that at one point they were part of a happy family. It had to be done, Levy knew that, but it wasn't that detail that she was fixated on.

The tape had been edited, clearly, which Levy assumed was Laxus sparing her of the gruesome details and preventing her from a chaotic PTSD flashback of some sort. Levy's heart jumped with each change in camera angle, from Gajeel surrounded by Ivan's guards to Gajeel rushing down a hallway that flashed red then darkness repeatedly, a frail girl in his arms as water rained around them.

Her hand remained on her chest where her heartbeat was flying; she couldn't stop thinking about Gajeel carrying her to safety, a memory that was so faded in her mind as she lost consciousness before Gajeel could get too far.

The scene with Ivan cornering them terrified her; she couldn't imagine the fear Gajeel underwent trying his best to save her. The way he declared on the tape that they should take him instead; her jaw dropped when Gajeel threw his gun aside, the weapon flying off screen and out of reach, and the horrible hit to the back of the head Gajeel took and his body falling heavily to the ground.

 _"Don't hurt her... please...!"_

Levy's mind was spinning as she couldn't believe he did that for her, especially not after their horrible fight. Now she was even more worried about seeing him, more regretful and nervous. Her lip quivered just thinking of Gajeel sacrificing himself; it was her fault he even ended up there, tormented and suffering... if only she hadn't of ran away, hadn't of hurt him than maybe things could have been different. Seeing Gajeel on the tape, running, _begging_ , going through Hell trying to save her after everything she had said and done. She didn't deserve that.

"I know you're scared but... you have to talk to him eventually, Levy." Laxus's words were the last thing she wanted to hear.

Levy's face remained sullen at his suggestion, and she didn't look up at him like he expected her to. It was clear that she was apprehensive about the next time Gajeel and her spoke; Levy had always been bad with confrontation, and Laxus concluded that this was the reason for her perfect behavior growing up. She had finally come to the age that she wouldn't be able to keep things perfect and happy forever and deep down that terrified her.

"He's already forgiven you, Levy." Laxus felt a bit more helpful now that Levy had opened up about their argument. "Everything you said was out of a place of hurting and he understands that."

Levy glared at the floor, "That doesn't make what I did to him right—,"

"Then _make_ it right," Laxus ordered sternly which made Levy bristle up but also look at him for the first time since the video of Gajeel and her started. "Nothing is going to be fixed if you stay in your hospital room hiding. If you feel so awful about what you said to him, than do something about it!" Laxus was so used to being authoritative he hadn't even caught himself practically yelling at her, but he was aware of his loud tone when Levy let out the shortest of chuckles, just breaths above a whisper.

" _Pfft_. To think I'm taking relationship advice from you of all people... give me a break," Levy smiled to herself sadly with the a shake of her head. "I don't think I have a right to talk to him at this point. Sure, Gajeel is foolish enough to forgive me, but that doesn't mean I deserve his forgiveness."

Laxus replied. "I think you have the roles reversed. Not everyone could forgive Gajeel for what he had done, but it seems to me that deep down you had forgiven him rather quickly. I think you're the only one who'd willingly give him a chance. What I'm trying to say is I think it would take a lot more to make that man hate you, Levy."

"Laxus, it's not that easy," Levy replied hopelessly.

"He hurt you first, Levy. You responded to the pain like any other human would have. It's over with, now all that's left to do is move forward from it, and this is the place to start." Laxus encouraged her.

"Hmph. My 'natural response' only made the wounds more aching." Levy replied, looking down at the bandages and soft blue hospital bedding that she'd grown far familiar with. She wish she would have been more logical at the time rather than some pathetic, emotional mess.

Laxus sighed at Levy's stubborn need to self destruct; he pushed passed her and headed towards the door where she believed he was simply going home for the day. "You can beat yourself up all you want about it. I'll go let him know you're awake."

"Wait, _what_?!" Levy was shocked when Laxus referred to Gajeel waiting nearby. "Laxus, wait, I can't see him— not like this!" Levy stammered and her emotional outburst was enough to make Laxus stop in place.

"Levy, you've been unconscious for days," Laxus confessed to her, and his face hardened at how taken aback she was. "He's been sitting out there scaring everyone off. I need a reason to send his ass home already, and if he knows you're okay then maybe the guy will finally get some sleep."

"Days?" Levy's eyes were wide. "He... he waited for me?" Levy asked herself more than she did her superior, and with that Laxus placed his arms across his chest.

"You can't stay here forever. Eventually you'll have to face him and— Levy, are you kidding me?!" Laxus roared when the young woman tucked herself under the blankets and forced herself to go back to sleep. "Levy, you're being absurd! Are you really going to pretend you're— this is _childish_!"

As absurd as it was, Levy wasn't ready to face him and their problem. She squeezed her eyes shut and stayed that way until Laxus was done lecturing her. Once he realized she was so stubborn she wouldn't even budge, he shook his head in defeat and left the room.

" _Fine_. I'll tell him you're still asleep and to try again tomorrow..." Laxus glared at her as he paused before closing the door behind him. "I'll be back shortly." Laxus informed with a hint of humor in his voice, but Levy didn't let it phase her.

 **ooo**

 **Levy inhaled deeply and let out** the breath she was holding in. Finally she was left alone in silence. She felt her heart hammering solid against her chest, and she couldn't stop thinking about Gajeel and what he'd have to say to her. Levy couldn't tell how long she remained there in bed, trying desperately to sleep and escape her problems, but she lied there restless and weak.

The door clicked as it opened and she tried to remain put before Laxus tore into her with another one of his older-sibling type lectures. She listened to the way his shoes dragged across the tiles, and she felt a bit more safe and at peace having someone she knew settling into the chair beside her, watching over her while she slept. It reminded her of her childhood and the faded memories of her parents tucking her in and waiting until she was sound asleep before they left, just like she made them promise they'd do whenever she was afraid.

Here and now, she felt she could rest peacefully and not be unsettled anymore. Her eyelids were finally growing heavy, but when a hand reached her forehead her eyes nearly shot open. The way he pushed the strands of hair away from her face was a touch so gentle she immediately knew it was _him_. Laxus never touched her like this before, and from there she could sense his presence, the heat from his body right beside her and the warmth of his finger tips against her skin.

Her heartbeat was spiraling out of control, and his soft touch was addictive. How desperately she prayed to the gods for even the shortest of seconds to hold his hand in her's one last time... it took every fiber in her body not to reach out and wrap her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her and never letting go, no matter what...

Her love was as warm as she remembered, but the idea of him felt like a distant dream. When he pulled his hand away from her she felt as though she was losing him all over again. She was greatly caught off guard when he spoke to her, she felt her body jolt, not expecting to hear his voice so soon.

"Y'know, Shorty," Gajeel started, and his nickname for her tugged at her heart. She awaited anxiously for what he had to say, but Gajeel recollected for a moment before continuing.

His hand carefully reached her's, his thumb rubbed back and forth against her knuckles, and she melted at his tender touch. Gajeel voice simmered into regret. "Getting into this job I was fully aware of the consequences. I was accepting to the fact that the moment I accepted Makarov's mission there was a chance I would die before I finished it, and as crazy as that sounds that was something I was fine with. Guess a guy like me didn't have much to live for back then, but you..? I don't understand, Levy."

She held her breath as she listened carefully.

"I can't wrap my head around why someone like ya would throw yerself into danger, despite having so much to look forward to. I guess that's what interested me so much about ya... that yer actions were out of courage while mine remained an outlet for my hatred." He chuckled under his breath, but it didn't last long. "I knew of the consequences," he repeated. "I knew of the dangers, I knew that death was an option, I knew things could go to Hell in the split of a second, that before I knew it darkness would consume me and this would all turn into a fucking nightmare... I _knew_ that."

There was a moment of silence before Gajeel spoke again, this time in a weaker voice. "I knew all of that, and even then I still dragged ya into this mess with me, I still got ya involved, knowing full well what it meant for ya. I... I never wanted ya to get hurt, I just... I was so selfish, I couldn't get enough of ya. I wanted everything you had to offer, I took everything I could, and in the end it nearly cost yer life... how could I... _how could I do that to you_..?" He asked weakly, and she felt his eyes on her, burning into her skin.

Levy could tell how badly he was shaking just from the notable tremble in his voice. His overwhelming guilt and dreadful regret was taking over his senses; seeing Levy like this... after he swore he'd never see her in a hospital room again...

"I really fucked up, didn't I?" He asked her then, and there was almost a humorous tone to his voice, like he was smiling sadly at his statement.

 _Gajeel_...

In this rush of emotions Levy felt her eyelids trembling despite trying to remain calm and still, as to not lead Gajeel on that she was awake. Unfortunately, Levy couldn't suppress the way her chest caved in at the defeated tremble that was engraved in Gajeel's voice. It wasn't like him to stammer, it wasn't normal for his voice to break. He deeply inhaled and let out a rigid, strained breath, and with each sign that he was hurting, Levy felt the pain with him.

In the hand that held her's so carefully and with such a weak, trembling hold, Levy's lashes dampened as she felt his tears plop onto the back of fingers. She had seen him cry once as his life was threatened, but tears were expected then. Here, however, Levy felt as if she were experiencing a far more vulnerable side to the strong man, one he only showed when he believed he were truly alone.

"Ya protected me, Levy, ya stayed strong until the very end, even after I shattered ya heart to pieces... even after I put ya through so much pain every chance that I had..." Gajeel's hold on her tightened as his body tensed with guilt. "Ya shouldn't have gotten hurt over me. Ya shoulda protected yerself— _I shoulda protected ya._.." Gajeel sharply inhaled and Levy felt herself growing heavier with emotion.

"Shit," he swore under his breath as the tears became overwhelming, and that mask he kept on 24/7 crashed to the floor, revealing the human side of him that he tried so desperately to numb.

"Levy... I know I can't give ya the life ya deserve, or the man that ya need, but..." Gajeel's voice became audible for only them. " _Please don't leave me, don't leave me like this_. Ya gotta wake up, ya always do."

His hands were trembling around her's.

"I love you." Gajeel swore, and his hands clasped around her's, the warmth of his touch only made her mouth tighten as tears slid down her face.

Levy opened her eyes to find Gajeel sitting beside her, his face pointed to the floor as his head hung low between his shoulders. Gajeel cried silently then, unaware of the way Levy sat up in bed. It was then that her tears escaped her in full force, but she did not make a sound. It was only when her other hand brushed over his knuckles, did he notice her being awake.

Gajeel was startled then; he took in a sharp breath and gasped, his red eyes widened and teary. For a split second he looked fearful even, like he didn't know how to face her or their problem, either. He felt vulnerable, his heart sunk as he wondered how she felt about his confession. It didn't matter, before he could say anything, Levy closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against his. Gajeel tensed up, but with Levy's silent acceptance he felt his shoulders tremble.

 _"I love you,"_ Gajeel repeated in a softer voice, now that he knew she could fully hear it. His face crumpled with emotion, an expression she hadn't seen before. _"I love you,"_ he whispered, and as he was going to repeat it again, Levy's face tucked in the crook of his neck, and breezily against his skin she interrupted him.

 _"I love you all the more, Gajeel."_

Gajeel was stiff as he didn't know what to do. Never had he been broken like this, and any wrong move felt as if it would be enough to make him fall to the floor and beyond repair. When Levy gently wrapped her arms around his neck, her hair brushed against him and he was immediately embraced by her warmth and scent, something that had always brought him peace of mind. Her embrace was warm and forgiving; Gajeel felt his heartbeat calm down, the world around him blurred out and he tucked his face deeper into her neck.

After a moment, Gajeel pulled away from her only to look her in her eyes, and when she gave him the softest of stares he pressed his lips to her's, and naturally they fell into one another's hold. He had been weary that the kiss would be unwanted, but when he tried to pull away Levy refused to let him escape. She reached forward and ignited the flame that the two of them foolishly believed was burned out for good. When Levy had her fix, she parted from him slowly, only a few inches away from his glossy eyes.

"Are ya okay?" Gajeel asked her without glancing at her injuries. His question held depth that could go on forever with multiple meanings.

"I'm okay," Levy smiled tearfully with a quivering smile. Her hands remained cupping his face, and although physically she was feeling terrible, the overwhelming feeling of joy she had for the two of them being alive was far more powerful than her temporary injuries. However, Gajeel's sullen look made her realize she wasn't very convincing.

"We're going to be okay, Gajeel," Levy promised and her smile made something lighten in his chest.

"Levy..." Gajeel started breezily, almost in a daze.

"But I'm really pissed off at you," Levy's smile shortened and was replaced with a disapproving frown.

Alarms went off on his face as Levy grew more aggressive.

"Are you insane?! Throwing your gun away and just sacrificing yourself like that?! What were you thinking?!" Levy hammered in on him.

"Wh-What? Wait, _what_?" Gajeel asked quickly as it was all registering in his mind what she was talking about. "H-how do you know about that, y-ya saw that?!" The man's skin brightened red as he realized his cheesy heroic talk and act had been seen by her. He thought she'd never hear any of that, and now he couldn't help but analyze all of the lame, mushy-romantic shit he told her that night, too. A mortified blush took over him but that didn't stop her from scolding him.

"Yeah, I saw it!" Levy screamed at him. "Do you know how pissed off I would have been if you were to die?!"

"Wait, Lev, I wasn't tryna make ya mad, just didn't exactly have a lot of choices in that given moment, I- I didn't know what to do— hey, don't be mad!" Gajeel panicked when she pouted at him.

"You're not allowed to die, Gajeel, got it?" Levy ordered him. "If you ever get into another stupid situation where you risk your life like that I'll kill you myself, you hear me?" Levy got right into his face, and a small finger stabbed him in the middle of his chest. "You're not allowed to leave me, you're not allowed to die, not even for me, not for anyone..." Levy's anger evaporated and she looked at him sadly. "I want you to _live_ , Gajeel."

Gajeel's face softened when he figured out what she was truly implying. It wasn't his decisions that upset her, but how easily he threw away his life in that moment. His options were limited, but even he knew he didn't consider his life in that moment. She was important to him, and for once his life fully mattered to someone, he had to consider that now and live more cautiously. He couldn't keep worrying her.

"Your life matters! You... you can't leave..." Levy admitted quietly, and a worried look overcame her as she didn't look him in the eye.

Something sparkled in his eyes and he felt a genuine smile spread across his lips. The finger against his chest was removed when Gajeel held her hand instead, and he looked right into her sad eyes with so much love she almost felt speechless.

"I promise I ain't goin anywhere, Levy. Now that I'm with ya... there's no where else that I belong." Gajeel's eyes softened as he looked at her. The blush had disappeared, and there was nothing to be embarrassed of given everything he said to her that nice had came from his heart. He'd move mountains for this woman, and if he had to explain his love for her everyday, it was a task he'd accomplish until the day he died.

Levy smiled through her tears. She laughed softly, and didn't argue when Gajeel allowed himself in her bed, falling into place at her side where she adjusted the best she could. She cradled against him, a weak arm stretched across his torso where her fingers gently traced circles into his chest. Gajeel felt all the tension rise out of him like steam, and for the first time in days he had finally found peace.

"Think they're gonna get mad?" Gajeel asked her, referring to the old hag and her henchman of uptight nurses. He could imagine how mad they'd be, Levy beaten to a pulp and Gajeel practically crushing her as he cuddled her. Levy, on the other hand, thought nothing of it and sneered at the idea.

"To Hell with them," Levy replied, Gajeel's crude ways rubbing off on her more than she'd ever admit.

Gajeel chuckled then. "That's my girl."

She smiled at that before nuzzling her face into his chest and drifting back to sleep.

 **ooo**

 **Hours had passed by the time** they woke up. A faint blush painted Levy's cheek as Gajeel helped to feed her. It was such an intimate gesture, and despite all the time that passed between them she couldn't understand why her heart was fluttering whenever their eyes met. She was certain that this man would be the end of her, and for some reason she was happy with that. Levy found it sweet how Gajeel remembered her favorite take out place. He was beaten badly in the face and went out into the world anyway, the man really had no shame and Levy found that oddly admirable.

"At least you finished most of yer food," Gajeel started hopefully, and Levy leaned back with a satisfied sigh.

"I owe you one. I woulda starved with the food they have here." Levy smiled jokingly.

"Ya don't owe me nothin'," Gajeel replied sternly in case she wanted to argue, but Levy only smiled lovingly at his rough nature.

Levy couldn't help but focus on the large bruises under his eyes from his broken nose. He had about as many injuries as she did, and she placed a hand on his lap to get his attention. Gajeel looker up at her with a confused look.

"Get better for me, Gajeel." Levy spoke, and smiled when he did.

"I kinda like this bossy side of ya," Gajeel laughed then. "I've been in worse shape than this, Lev." Memories dashes in his eyes and he didn't put much thought into it. "I'll heal."

"Like what?" She asked curiously, and when he slightly shook his head she refused his answer. "What were you just thinking of?" Levy asked, putting Gajeel on the spot. "You hesitated, I want to know what the memory you were just thinking of was about."

"Aren't ya the persistent one," Gajeel replied, not knowing how to respond.

"I want to know everything about you." Levy replied as she sat up straighter. "I want you to let me in, Gajeel." She started softly.

A blush spread across Gajeel's face then, and he stammered over where to start. He wasn't the type for story telling, and a lot of these memories were from a time he wasn't very proud of, but Levy seemed accepting anyway. Where would he begin, though? The spark of curiosity in her eyes was stubborn, and he knew she'd eventually learn all of his dark past eventually, so they might as well start now.

"Yer right, Shorty. I haven't been very honest with ya, I haven't told ya everything about who I am. That's my fault." Gajeel admitted rather maturely, and Levy's eyes softened as she noted how he sounded a bit ashamed.

However, a knock on the door interrupted their conversation, but Gajeel only smirked.

"Actuallt, I think yer gonna find out a part of me right now, Shorty." Gajeel said with an apologetic look.

"What do you mean?" Levy asked him, only to be surprised when Laxus and Makarov entered her room.

"Master," Levy's eyes widened, not expecting to see Makarov this last at night. The old man had his usual cheery smile and held up his palm as a greeting.

"Hmm. I see the two of you are starting to feel better," Makarov greeted them with a wide grin.

"I'm doing great!" Levy cheered, much aware to the way Gajeel looked at her disapprovingly for her lie.

Makarov's smiled sadly at that. "I see you're in good hands, Levy. At this rate you're on the road for a fine recovery." He started, and the couple glanced at one another with short smiles.

Levy smiled warmly at the man she considered a father. "I sure hope so."

Makarov and Laxus situated themselves in front of the bed where the couple sat together. Makarov took a deep breath in, "any apology I give you would be insufficient—,"

"Master, please, you don't have to." Levy started, overwhelmed enough with Laxus and Gajeel's pitiful confessions.

Makarov sternly shook his head no at her. "But I must, Levy. It was my son that had caused all of this, and my foolish leadership that almost got the two of you killed. If I were only a few seconds late then..." Makarov's eyes darkened. "There's room for many apologies."

Levy acknowledged the master with a short, understanding nod. Although she would never ask for an apology, she asked what the master told her. Makarov looked up from his grave state with a light in his eyes, and whenever the old man shared that look Levy always felt a bit more hopeful.

"But I mostly came here to praise the two of you for a job well done," Makarov started with a change in emotion. "However, I thought Levy had done such a fine job that I convinced Laxus to give her up, and trust me, that took a lot of persuading."

"Give up? What do you mean?" Levy asked nervously, and her stomach flipped when she wondered if the two of them had decided she shouldn't be a police officer any more. Makarov chuckled in response at how alert Levy was to his remark.

"Well, I reflected on all of your progress this year, took your determination into consideration and appreciated all of the work you've put into cracking this case. With all of this in mind, I was in my office today realizing we were a bit short handed. You know Levy, the FBI could use someone with your kind of courage." Makarov grinned when Levy stared at him blankly.

"Excuse me?" Levy asked, not sure if she heard him correctly. She was so taken aback she didn't even notice the way Gajeel straightened up in his seat. Levy knew the Master was in control of the organization, but he hardly ever spoke to her about it; in fact, he kept it so private that there were times where she forgot he was even involved with the whole thing to begin with.

"Laxus and I were talking and we came to the belief that you've proven us enough that the police station isn't large enough for your grand schemes." Makarov started, and a smile spread on Laxus's face when Levy's eyes lightened.

"Oh my _God_ ," Levy replied, not sure how to take all of it in. For as long as she could remember her dream had been to be a police officer, and for the longest even that seemed impossible, so impossible in fact that she never dreamt further than it. She never imagined ranking up, especially not this quickly, and now with the offer in her hands she had no idea what to do with it.

"This is amazing, Master I don't know what to say..." The joyous smile on Levy's face faltered, and the hesitation in her weary voice made everyone more serious; it sounded like the young girl was unhappy with the idea. Levy smiled sadly and shook her head. "I... I don't think I'm ready for something like that, yet. I wouldn't even know where to begin with training." She looked at them worriedly.

"Levy, you shouldn't underestimate yourself. As of right now, you couldn't have someone better to train you," Laxus spoke up for the first time, his arms crossing over his chest and a smirk to him.

"What do you mean?" Levy asked, not sure if Laxus was implying that he was the one that would be training her.

"Now that Ivan is taken care of, we don't have to hide it from you anymore." Makarov started with a hint of guilt in his voice. "I believe you'd do just fine in the FBI, Levy, you've already made a very strong connection with one of our agents." Makarov directed Levy's puzzled stare to the silent man next to her, and when she start piercing everything together, her eyes widened considerably. Makarov grinned proudly, "Sitting next to you is one of the FBI's finest, special-agent Gajeel Redfox."

"Agent?!" Levy blurted out as she couldn't keep up with the information she was receiving, and her head whipped to Makarov only to find the old man was being serious. Now she was snapping her head towards Gajeel, practically demanding answers. _"FBI?"_ Levy's eyes shot towards Gajeel who sat close to her with an apologetic stare. "You mean to tell me you were in the FBI this entire time?! Do you know how many problems we would have avoided if you woulda told me that to begin with?!"

"I wanted to tell ya since the beginning Levy, really." Gajeel defended himself. "But knowing yer loud mouth the whole city woulda known about it—,"

 _"I'm not a loud mouth!"_ Levy shrieked ironically, and the two of them began bickering, just like the scene in Makarov's office all those months ago.

Laxus sighed, "well, were we really expecting a different kind of reaction?" Laxus asked Makarov as their bickering turned into Levy placing her hands on Gajeel's shoulder and trying to shake the information out of him, desperately wanting to know all about his FBI stories and going undercover, as well as what it was like to be an agent of "something so cool" to begin with.

Makarov smiled softly, "No, that's just our Levy," he replied happily.

Gajeel's smile silenced her. "C'mon, what are ya so worked up about?" Gajeel asked her teasingly, which made Levy's mouth snap shut as she stared at him shyly. "Let me train ya, Shorty." His order came out softly, somehow, and his words made her calm down and return to her senses.

Gajeel carefully pulled her body closer to him. "Forget about Laxus and that old station—,"

 _"Hey,"_ Laxus interrupted with an annoyed tone.

"—and let me train ya instead. I want to make you big." Gajeel's mischievous smile softened into admiration, but before he could help her succeed he had to let her choose what path she wanted to take. "But only if it's what ya want."

Levy gave him a bright smile but then turned to Laxus with a saddened look.

"None taken," Laxus responded to her "no offense" look. "And not to rub you the wrong way but having you move out of the station would really be a relief on this headache of mine. I'll be more than happy to let Gramps deal with all of the messes you stir up."

Levy couldn't help but laugh at that. "Wow thanks Laxus, you couldn't have said it any sweeter." Levy replied. She glanced at Gajeel who nodded at her, took a deep breath in and then turned to Makarov with her final answer. "I'll take it."

"I had a feeling you would," Makarov grinned.

 _"Hmph,"_ Gajee smirked at it all.

Levy looked rather displeased when she found Gajeel's wide, troublesome smile. "What's so funny?" She prodded, and pointed her nose in the air, slightly warm in the face given how excited she had gotten over his secret earlier.

"Ya know what that means tho, right, Shorty?" Gajeel asked from beside her. Levy eyebrows furrowed before she turned around to find Gajeel right in her face. "All this time ya threatened to arrest me, when at the end of the day I was superior to ya." Gajeel smirked and placed a finger under her chin, causing the girl to look right into his eyes. "Now that I'm done hidin', I'ma be the one arrestin' ya instead."

Levy's face burned bright red, both from the suggestive lust in his voice and a little from the embarrassment that this whole time she must of sounded like such a dork trying to take down a FBI agent when she was merely a rookie cop.

Laxus's expression spited by the couple's off-putting flirting. "Yeah, we should probably go now, gramps." He stood up in his seat and headed towards the door; Laxus had better things to do than watch Gajeel make a move on what he considered his little sister. Makarov merely chuckled at the young long and followed his grandson without any argument.

Makarov nodded at the couple before leaving, which meant he'd probably be back soon given he hadn't properly said goodbye.

Now alone in the hospital room, Levy was left to analyze everything that had just happened. "I guess that was the final missing piece, huh?" Levy asked Gajeel, who remained in the chair beside her. "Anything else to hide? Was your father the last president? Is your mom the queen of somewhere?"

"Yer not trying to change the subject, are ya?" Gajeel asked her, and to Levy's surprise, he climbed on top of her. Levy panicked given how injured Gajeel was, and despite that he moved around as if he didn't have a worry at all.

"Hey, you can't just do that, you need to heal! G-Gajeel, what do you think you're doing—!" Levy was silenced by a long awaited kiss. When Gajeel puller away, she felt her heart flutter the moment she stared into his eyes.

"I told ya I was gonna arrest ya," he said to her with a soft smirk.

Realizing she wasn't going to get out of this, Levy smiled softly at him and played his little game. "Oh yeah? And how much time am I looking at, officer?"

"Life," he responded. Levy giggled cutely, but when his expression was serious she paused. His heartbeat quickened when the clever girl caught on rather quickly. A blush spread across her cheeks and she stared at him with such wide, beautiful brown eyes that he thought he had climbed on top of an actual angel.

"Are you..." Levy started carefully, her voice just below a whisper. "Are you sure, Gajeel?"

"I want you, Levy." His eyes softened. "I want all of ya."

Levy blushed and turned away. "I have the right to remain silent."

Gajeel's softened look hardened when the woman continued playing games. "Are you being serious—,"

"No, no, I'm kidding." Levy reassured, and she couldn't help but laugh heartily at Gajeel's expression. It had been a while since he'd seen her laugh like that, glowing and youthful, that he bit his tongue and let the woman have her fun with him. He felt happy seeing her like this, he was captivated and lost in her beauty that he had to snap back to his senses when Levy opened her arms up and laced her fingers behind his neck. Gajeel's eyes softened just as Levy's stare mesmerized him. Her smile was contagious, and naturally his lips curled upwards and he felt warmth in his chest as he stared downn at the woman lying down beneath him. With a beautiful melodic voice, just a hair above a whisper, she pulled him closer to her.

 _"Take all of me, my love."_

 **A/N:** so I've been gone because of studying and because I ACTUALLY AM PLANNING ANOTHER GAJEVY FANFIC AND I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT!!! I'll leave a summary at the end of the next chapter!! (: so as always I'm sorry about my absence but I think you guys are used to me sucking by now.

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and my attempt at fluff. I just watched the recent Gajevy episode and feel Iike sobbing, next week is going to actually rip my heart out, but I can't wait! Thank you again as always for reading and I'll see you soon!!!


	20. Chapter 20

**Final**

**Chapter 20**

 **By the next day Levy was ready** to be discharged from the hospital. All of her prescriptions and paperwork had been taken over and all that was left to do was rest and recover. Levy was eager to leave the old building and was pulling her hair back into her usual headband when there was a knocking on the door. Levy's eyes brightened when she saw Makarov had returned as promised.

"Master," Gajeel started from beside her. He didn't think the Master would come to watch Levy leave, and out of habit he assumed the Master was bearing more bad news. "Is something wrong?"

"No, my boy, nothings the matter. I've just come to bring up a visitor who has been very eager to see Levy." Makarov nodded to the woman.

Levy's eyebrows furrowed, "who is it?" She asked curiously. She'd already been visited by Cana and Lucy, and she'd just ended a long emotional reunion with Jet and Droy who's surprise visit was something she definitely never would have expected after a year of losing contact with them. She couldn't think of anyone else, but when a fair skinned and slender woman came to the doorway, Levy hadn't even recognized her at first.

"Bisca..?" Levy asked. She recognized the mother's dark green hair and beautiful eyes, now with more light in them than compared to that horrible night.

"Levy, I'm really glad to see that you're healing." Bisca allowed herself in, holding the hand of her young daughter, Asuka. Levy looked over at the girl with a saddened look; she wished she could have been in better shape for the child to see. Her face was bruised up and she felt rather defeated, and she hoped her injuries didn't scare the little girl, but Asuka seemed unbothered.

"How have you been?" Levy asked carefully.

"We're fine now," Bisca answered with a short smile. She didn't hesitate and also made sure to not leave room for anyone to get the wrong idea. Of course they were managing; they went through the troubles of finding a new home and dealing with the trauma of their home invasion, but what mattered the most to Bisca was that her daughter was alive and breathing and thriving with each given day. "I've come to pay my respects to you, Levy. Words will never be able to express my gratitude to you for saving my daughter's life."

"It was the least I could do, Bisca," Levy smiled softly at her. "Thank you for visiting me."

"It would only make sense to visit the woman who helped save my family's life," Bisca countered, which made the two of them share a smile. "Besides, the little one wouldn't stop talking about seeing you, poor thing lost sleep just thinking about it." Bisca started and allowed Asuka to sit on her lap, and the you girl beamed brightly at Levy. "Asuka, don't you want to tell miss Levy what you want to be?"

Levy turned to Asuka with a puzzled expression, but when the small girl took the cowboy hat off her head and replaced it with Bisca'a old uniform cap, Levy's questions were answered.

"I want to be like you when I grow up, miss Levy! I'm going to be a police officer!" Asuka declared with bright eyes and a wide smile. Although Bisca thought it was simply adorable, Levy was deeply moved by the child's choice. Just when Levy thought she had failed, she found herself staring in the young eyes of someone who saw her as a hero, someone she saved, and in that moment she realized her accomplishments and that things weren't so bad after all.

Levy's eyes widened and a beautiful smile met her face, one that made Gajeel's heart tighten and his chest grow warm. He couldn't help but smile at Levy's happiness, especially when the small girl wrapped her arms around Levy's neck.

 **o**

 **o**

 **o**

 **One Year Later**

 **The streets of Magnolia were always** bustling with an upbeat energy around this time of year. Festivals were in season and the tourists were piling in from all around to see the trees in bloom and to enjoy the enriching culture that Magnolia was so well known for. Levy maneuvered as carefully as she could, squeezing past many who towered over her, and occasionally head-butting someone's shoulder that was in her path. The traffic was minimal; by now she knew the best times to go shopping, and beating rush hour was a survival skill she had to learn quickly given the area of town Gajeel's penthouse was located in. It was a breath of fresh air to make it out of her car and towards the valet, who smiled at her warmly.

"Ah, well if it isn't soon to be little Mrs. Redfox," the red headed man smiled charming at her. The comment was overused by now and yet it still seemed to make Levy a bashful mess.

"Loki, it's so good to see you!" Levy smiled, trying to take her new title a bit more casually, but she smiled brightly and blushed beautifully anyway.

"Would you like some help with that?" Loki asked her, referring to the large package Levy was balancing in her thin arms.

"Oh, no, that's fine." Levy let down his offer as she carefully exited her car, still struggling with the heavy box. Loki only sighed at the stubborn woman's determination. He looked passed her to see the rather luxurious car she was lifting out of, and took into consideration how her clothing was very tasteful. Despite the Redfox inheritances entering her life, Loki was please to see the humble woman had not fallen victim to what he'd seen most women undergo. There wasn't ever a nose in the air with Levy, and her responses remained genuine and never short answered. The barely-getting-by woman he'd met a little over a year ago had changed dramatically, but it made him happy to see she was still the same caring person.

A smile was on Loki's face once Levy looked up to him. Her eyebrows raised as she was surprised when he lifted the box with ease, and without breaking a sweat he rolled into a smooth explanation. "If Mr. Redfox found out I let his fiancé carry a package like this up the stairs he'd have my head. I'd rather not take my chances."

"Thank you, Loki." Levy smiled apologetically. Loki locked her car before leading the woman to the elevator. The two of them remained in a casual conversation as they shot up towards the pent house.

"It's almost your big day." Loki mentioned with a positive smile.

"Just thinking about it gets me sweating." Levy admitted, not too pleased with the way her stomach was flipping from both anticipation and the elevator.

"Don't be silly, there's nothing to be worried about," Loki grinned and changed the subject. "I see Gajeel bought you bricks again."

"They're books," Levy corrected with a roll of her eyes. "I told him he didn't have to..."

"But you couldn't resist," Loki answered, used to this story by now. It happened about every couple of weeks, and each time he helped her bring the box up despite her refusing his help. "Aren't you just the spoiled one? With the amount in here I'd say this would last you about—," Loki shook the package to rumble around the books inside, "— a week and a half, give or take. Maybe two weeks given the wedding."

Levy laughed brightly at that. "You've learned to know me well," Levy continued giggling, and when the elevator doors opened, she opened her hands to accept the package. "I think I can handle it from here, Loki."

"Good day, Ms. Levy." Loki nodded at her, and she waved as he disappeared behind the door.

Once inside, Levy was grateful to slam the large box onto the dining table. The home was quiet and still just as she liked, but now the dark color scheme had changed drastically. The home looked more lived in now, with half finished books on the coffee table, dishes left in the sink and unattended lounge blankets draped over the couches. There were also a splash of colors and mismatched furniture where Levy moved a few things in. It warmed Levy's heart to see that the house was becoming their own, and it made her considerably happy to see their two worlds coming together, and by the end of this week those worlds would morph into one.

Levy glanced down at the ring on her finger. A ruby red gem reminded her of his eyes, and she moved her hand back and forth to catch the light in the gem. It had a beautiful sparkle to it, and whenever Levy looked at the ring she was overwhelmed with all of her favorite memories, including the night Gajeel took her out, dropped to one knee and asked her to be his. She smiled happily before digging into the cardboard; her nails found the beginning of the tape and she tore the package open. She felt like some kind of addict, given the moment the smell of books hit her she deeply inhaled and experienced some kind of high. It had to be her favorite smell, and she relished in it before she unpacked her things. She couldn't wait to dive into a book she'd been waited months to come out, a story on the more adventurous side that began in a land of—

 _"Yer late,"_ Gajeel's voice interrupted her rapid thinking.

Levy jumped at his voice. She turned around to see Gajeel leaning against the wall, smile on his face and arms crossed around his chest. He had hid behind the door when she walked in and she felt silly that she hadn't have noticed him in such an obvious spot. Levy glared at him when she found he was chuckling at her reaction.

"Stupid Gajeel, don't scare me like that!" Levy yelled at him.

"I'm sorry," he apologized to her. "Where were ya at, Shorty? Oh, did ya have fun again?" Gajeel asked with a smirk when he noticed the large package behind her.

Levy turned around shyly. "Sh-shut up," She grumbled as she crossed her arms.

"I left a bookstore gift card on the table and it didn't even last two minutes." Gajeel reminded her of her episode earlier that day, how she leaped at it like a lion on a gazelle, and how she rushed out the door and told him to be safe. Although Gajeel didn't think anything of it, he loved how shy and embarrassed his bookworm got whenever her little addiction was brought to the surface.

"They were having a sale, that's all." Levy said confidently, sugar coating that she had lost all self control.

Gajeel grinned, "I can see that." His smile turned to a straight line and he lowered himself to Levy's eyesight. "So where were ya?"

"What are you talking about? You know where I was." Levy started with a puzzled look. When Gajeel pulled away from her she felt a bit apprehensive. "Gajeel..?"

"I told you this during yer training, Lev. How to detect when people are lying to ya. Just wouldn't expect my fiancé to be hiding something from me." Gajeel backed away from her and stared her down head to toe.

Levy felt attacked. "I'm not hiding anything," She stammered, and it didn't help how she defensively stood in front of her package.

"Ya know, Lev, I consider lying a crime—,"

 _"You thinking everything's a crime!"_

"— and don't take it lightly. Ima have to arrest ya for being unfaithful to yer future husband." Gajeel's eyes darkened and the features of his face turned to a shadow. Levy knew exactly what this look meant.

"I'll go ahead and give ya a head start," he informed her and crossed his arms over his chest. He had a determined look in his eyes that proved nothing would change his mind, and now Levy had to think fast.

"Wh-What are you, wait— Gajeel!" Levy panicked, and with a fight or flight instinct she tore out of their dining room. She ran as quickly as she could, and when his footsteps hammered against the hardwood floors her heart leapt out of her chest. She did reasonable under pressure like this, but when it came to Gajeel and his feral and barbaric instincts to hunt and kill, she couldn't help but squeal as she ran for dear life.

Her efforts were futile as she was practically rammed down, her back hit the comforts of their bed and Gajeel immediately climbed on top of her, pinning the poor girl down so there'd be no option of escape. Levy was lost in her laughter, unable to contain herself as a much wasted amount of adrenaline pumped through her. "Gajeel, you're being absurd."

"We can do this easy way or the hard way, it's all up to ya, Shorty." He threatened.

Levy giggled as he kissed against her neck. She had been very distant this morning and even she could admit she was acting especially suspicious. She should've known she wouldn't have been able to hide anything from him long and it wasn't like she was planning to keep this secret from him forever. She was thinking around tonight after dinner, when they were cuddling under the sheets and watching the stars. Gajeel, however, had other plans, and for now Levy was trapped beneath him, under his playful mercy.

"You'll never get it out of me, I'm not saying a word!" Levy promised, thrashing under him as she tried to break out of his hold.

Gajeel's red eyes were glowing. "Yer getting yerself into something dangerous, Levy. If you don't cooperate, I'll have no choice but to show no mercy."

"Oh, I'm _shaking_. What's my punishment this time, officer redfox?" Levy asked playfully, but a suggesting tone perked her lips and simmered her stare.

Gajeel's hand secured her in place while the other one slowly lifted up her shirt. Levy's eyes softened as she looked up at him, but like some twisted, cruel joke Gajeel's touch became more soft and considerably fast. He let out a laugh as Levy surprised him; she tore out of his hold so fast and twisted out from underneath him. She sped towards the door but was caught in her tracks.

 _"Gajeel, please, no!"_ She cried out but was slammed back down. Her eyes teared up as her laughter drowned any chuckle he could make, and she twisted and turned trying desperately to protect herself from the torment. Gajeel smiled at her, unable to keep his face straight while she was laughing like this, and his fingers sped up and down tickling her sides. He knew when enough was enough, he was about to stop but was taken by surprise when Levy had pulled a moved on him, grabbing him by his arm and knocking him off of his balance. She climbed on top of his torso and held down his hands by the wrist, breathing heavily as she was out of breath from all her laughing.

"To use a cheap trick like that while I was off guard," Gajeel shook his head at her. "At least I know you've been paying attention in yer defensive training." Gajeel's eyes narrowed as he watched the way Levy's reddened face was slowly going back to normal. However, he wanted to keep that cute blush on her.

"You know I hate being tickled," she gave him a mean pout, like he'd really done it this time.

"After being with ya this long I've learned _many_ of yer weaknesses," Gajeel grinned at her, and Levy felt herself growing more timid as she was very familiar with his suggestive tone. He found it cute how the small girl was on top and pinning him down, but she looked as if she'd run out of ideas. "What now, Shorty? Are ya here to get yer revenge? Y'know I'm not ticklish, so we both know who would win that fight. Heh, it looks to me like ya ran out of options..." Gajeel sat up so he could be eye level with her. Levy lost control of holding him down and here his hands traveled up her thighs and reached for behind her.

"Gajeel..." Levy whispered and just as he was about to progress things into a more sinful play, Levy's words took him aback.

"I'm pregnant," she said softly.

Gajeel's eyes widened but he hadn't registered what she said. The two of them looked at one another for a short second, and when he didn't say anything Levy became immensely worried. "I found out this morning... I was going to tell you tonight. I'd been out all day shopping for baby books and motherhood guides, so that's what I was hiding."

Gajeel was speechless and looked towards her bare stomach. Her shirt was still ridden up from where he exposed her, and now he was staring at her milky skin, imagining the life that was slowly growing inside of her. He knew she was hiding something but never in a million years who he expect it to be a _baby._ He was just so absolutely amazed by the idea, he couldn't wrap his mind around it. _They were going to have a family..._

"Are you... are you mad?" Levy asked sadly, but was taken back when Gajeel looked up at her with glossy eyes. Tears brimmed his lashes and Levy took a breath in, given it was a rare occasion that the strong man showed so much emotion.

"Levy, oh my _Gods_ ," he said through his emotion and a smile met his lips. He wrapped his arms around her so tightly she thought he'd snap something, but she loved his strong hold and wrapped her arms around his back.

"Why would I ever be mad at something like that, Levy?" Gajeel asked her, and he wiped away her tears of joy.

"We're gonna to have a baby, Gajeel," Levy told him, saying it out loud so she would be able to believe it better. It was hard to wrap her mind around, they hadn't been trying for one, their wedding was this weekend, and still... she couldn't explain this overwhelming emotion. The two of them pulled away and shared a laugh, this was definitely a moment for celebration. Levy didn't protest when Gajeel lifted her in the air and she wrapped her legs around him.

 **ooo**

 **The sun was setting and reflected** off the glass of the many sky scrapers around them. The room was engulfed in gold, and the two of them lied peacefully together in one another's hold, staring up at the ceiling silently. It took a lot to get to where they were, from failures to plenty of near death experiences, pain and triumphs. To think that a year ago they were fighting to stay alive, and now here they were, _expecting_ of all things...

"Ya know ya can still back out of this, Levy." Gajeel offered her, his fingers tangled with her's moving up and down as he gently massaged her hand. "Yer my woman, everything to me... but yer happiness is something I will always protect."

"I know," Levy replied breathlessly as the sunset painted their ceiling. She was feeling the warmth all around her, and her hand rubbed over her stomach as she couldn't help but feel anxious. However, this time she enjoyed the feeling of the unknown. At least this time she knew she'd be able to find out eventually.

"It's going to be a crazy life, Levy. It ain't gonna be easy. With everything we've been through already... are ya sure?" Gajeel turned to her with a softened stare. Levy felt her heart beat slow down as she found peace in his eyes. In that moment, lying there she couldn't think of any other place she'd rather be. She couldn't fathom spending her life with anyone else. She closed the gap between them, his bare skin warm against her chest, his face in the palm of her hands and she held him close to her. With their eyes interlocked, magnificent scarlet against golden brown, Levy knew she had found everything she ever needed.

"I think I can handle it."

 ** _End_**

**ooo**

 **A/N :** [4/1/19] Oh my gosh, I can't believe this story is finally over. I feel like a piece of my heart is missing because for the past year (and some) my days have been consumed with planning and imagining this story. Cafe Rouge was my first fanfic and I never expected it to get a lot of reads or reviews, but I'm so grateful to have met you guys. Thank you for all the support and for those who have been here since the beginning, a community like this always makes writing an absolute pleasure. You guys give me a reason to love writing and for that I am eternally grateful!

Please leave a review if you enjoyed the story, I'd love to hear what you guys think! I'm also currently planning a new fanfic and I hope you guys will be there to read the first chapter! At first I wanted to do the Fairy Tail universe and play around with their magic, but I loved the modern AU of Cafe Rouge and decided to go for an AU that surrounds superpowers and such. I'm anxious to write it!

Title: Black Steel

RomanceAction

Summary: Former superhero and endeavoring Magnolian journalist, Levy Mcgarden, awaits for the story that will sky rocket her publishing career. However, when the notorious villain and her past rival, Kurogane, saves her one fateful evening, Levy might have just found the story that will set her on a path of fame— and perhaps even romance.

So Levy and Gajeel are rivals, with her being the hero and him the hot and evil villain. That's all I'll say for now

Anyways, thank you again for reading, and as always thank you for visiting Cafe Rouge.


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